《Princess of the Silver Ocean》


 Chapter 1 - Prologue

    "No, please don''t leave me. Stay with me!"

    She groaned, rustling in her sleep. Her forehead was beaded with sweat. She was having the same nightmare again. Astoria always had trouble sleeping because, on most nights, she would have the same nightmare of a man dying in her arms. It was a man whose face she could never decipher and whose voice always broke her heart.

    "Somebody, help me!" she screamed as she looked at the creatures surrounding her.

    "Hey, look at me, okay. Do not close your eyes, please!" she begged him.

    "I''m sorry, Astoria," the man rasped, his breathing becoming more and more unsteady with every passing minute.

    She looked at the man on the ground, his face a blur. She held him tightly as if she was scared that he would disappear if she let go. He looked at her, eyes full of sadness as he lifted his index finger to wipe away the tears that ran down her cheeks. She felt devastated. She should have tried harder to protect him.

    Moreover, to protect her people. Why did it have to end like this? This was definitely her fault, and now, because of her actions and incompetence, she would lose the one person she cared about the most in this world. She was going to lose the one person who had faith in her. She was going to lose her people and country.

    "I love you," he said softly.

    Those were his final words as he lightly caressed her cheek. With that, his hand slowly fell to the ground. His body lay lifeless in her arms. This was what she was dreading the most. The one thing she never wanted to ever encounter in this world and lifetime.

    Feeling as though all the oxygen was knocked out of her body, tears rolled down her cheeks as she screamed in pure agony. Her heart ached at the loss of him. The one person she truly loved was now gone forever, and it was all her fault.

    She woke up with a start, her heart thumping loudly and rapidly. The night was silent and filled with the occasional sound of cars passing by the neighbourhood. She clutched her shirt as she recalled the nightmare she had just encountered. It all seemed too vivid as if it had actually happened or was going to happen.

    She quickly got up, her legs shaking and weak. She tried her best to walk towards the fridge and get a glass of cold water to fully wake herself up and maybe clear the shock she had just experienced. Walking outside, she sat on the outside bench.

    She hoped that the cold air would cool down the excessive heat from her body and decrease the rate of her beating heart. She sighed as she looked up to the sky, counting the stars as a form of distraction. This was not the first time she had encountered something like this. It''s been happening for as long as she could remember, the same nightmare replaying almost every night, repetitively.

    "Just what is going on with me?" she asked no one in particular as she crouched her head.

    She had brought her phone with her, checked the time, saw that it was 8:15 p.m., and decided that she needed to leave the house and have some fun. Maybe that would clear her mind. Her best option was to go clubbing. She searched through her wardrobe as she looked for something to wear.

    Finally, she saw a comfortable outfit and placed it on her bed, and took a quick shower. She decided to wear a light pink tight skirt with a long black sleeve transparent shirt and a black bra.

    She finished the outfit off with ebony wood-heeled combat boots, quickly brushed her black hair, and put on some light makeup. Scanning herself in the full-length mirror, she decided that she was ready to leave. She hailed a taxi and arrived at her destination.

    "Thank you, sir," she said as she handed the driver the fee.

    He smiled and took off. She turned to look at the building of the club, Club Owl. This club was situated downtown and was well known as a club operated from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. It was trendy amongst young adults and businessmen.

    It had private rooms that could accommodate more than ten people. She smiled as she walked past the bouncer and into the club. She was immediately hit with flashing lights, the sound of loud music, laughter, and swarms of bodies dancing the night away.

    "Hey, Jigger," she grinned as she sat on the barstool.

    "Chambers, the usual?" he asked.

    She nodded. She has known Jigger for the past two years. He was, and still is, a great friend and has many side jobs. Being a bartender was one of those jobs. She watched him as he turned his back towards her, grabbing a wine glass from one of the cabinets.

    He turned towards her and smiled. He began mixing the drinks, which amazed her every time as he always looked so professional. He finished mixing the drinks and handed her the margarita.

    "Tough day?" he asked her, a look of worry on his face.

    Not responding immediately, she drank her margarita and asked him to bring her shots. Jigger watched her as she downed the shots in a few seconds, her throat burning at the sensation of the cold liquid.

    She sighed and looked at him, her head titled and supported with her left hand. She signalled him to bring her more shots, to which he said he could only give her four as he was now starting to worry about her even more.

    She pouted and batted her eyelashes to try and persuade him. However, her plan backfired as he did not budge. Usually, she would go to the club if she felt anxious or distraught because of her nightmares. He knew about them and, judging from the calculating look on his face, she could tell that he knew she had another nightmare.

    "You don''t know the half of it," she said as she drank her margarita with a heavy heart.

 Chapter 2 - One Way Woman

    "Would you just relax and calm down first!"

    She grabbed her notebooks from her desk and shoved them in her box.

    "How can I?"

    He looked at her, completely bewildered.

    She hated how the world of the rich and powerful operated. Police officers in her district were permanently silenced by money, forever turning a blind eye to the truth and justice. She could not continue working in such an environment.

    Her colleagues always told her that she looked for trouble but was seeking justice and refusing to turn a blind eye to the truth in criminal cases ''trouble''? The other police officers watched her as she walked back and forth, shoving her belongings in the box she had found lying in her house.

    "Get out of my way, please."

    He moved aside as he watched her pack the rest of her stuff. Actually, Astoria believed that it was about time she resigned. She was barely hanging in there with all the injustice she had been witnessing in this police station, especially because of Cosmo X.

    Every single Cosmo X company court case had the same end result. All the cops knew that the company tested humans with their products and that those ''test subjects'' always dropped dead in the end with no trace left of them.

    ''They cannot even arrest the company chairman because he has the police, prosecutors, and the government at the palm of his hand. Heck, no one has ever seen the chairman''s face!''

    Trash like him who feed on the weak and poor do not deserve to live such a luxurious life. Since she was trying to help the weak and poor, she was being reassigned to the Violent Crimes Unit all the way in Beadville, which was a five-hour drive from here.

    "Why don''t you just move to the Violent Crimes Unit? Resigning is a bit extreme, don''t you think?" he asked her, begging her to rethink her choice.

    She sighed and internally admitted that resigning because of her reassignment to the Violent Crimes Unit in Beadville was a bit extreme. Still, she was doing this out of anger, and she definitely was not regretting it one bit. Well, at least not yet. The main reason she was reassigned was because she finally found concrete evidence on the deaths of the people used as lab rats by Cosmo X while investigating the company.

    Before she could rush to tell her team captain, she was assaulted in her house in, might she add, broad daylight! Was she not livid? Was she not on the verge of exploding in anger? She was currently experiencing a wide range of emotions.

    I mean, first of all, Cosmo X sent their men to assault, steal, and destroy the evidence she had been digging up for the past nine months. Secondly, they damaged her house, which was also partly her fault because she fought back by smashing a pot plant on one of the men''s heads. She made sure to leave her mark on at least one of those crooked men.

    After all, she was known as the best fighter in her division. Well, now it''s her former division since she was resigning. Anyway, after trying to chase those men who had destroyed everything she had worked so hard to find, she, unfortunately, lost them. She decided to inform her team captain, and you will not believe what he told her.

    "I was this close," she told her team captain, Mr. Rogers, as she ran her fingers through her black hair.

    Her pale milky skin aching from all the fighting and running she did yesterday.

    "But they sent their men after me and destroyed all the evidence I had been working so damn hard to collect!"

    "This should tell you to stop," he said, shaking his head.

    "Stop? You want me to stop and have more innocent people die?" she asked, completely surprised and taken aback by his vindictive yet straightforward statement.

    "You know that Cosmo X has so much power and connections. Besides, it''s not like they only test their products on people. They also test animals," he simply said as he walked towards the coffee machine, took a cup, poured himself coffee, and sat leisurely on his chair, his eyes fixated on the cup in his hands.

    "So, are you telling me that because they also test animals, that makes it okay?"

    At that moment, she wanted to punch someone, even him.

    "I''m just saying that the people go there voluntarily. There is no proof that Cosmo X forces them, so just let it go. Look, I know that you are finding this frustrating. We all are, but you have seen how hopeless it is to fight that company. I mean, look at you. You''re covered in bruises and look like a mess. If you go any further, you won''t just be assaulted next time," he said, looking at her dead in the eye.

    "The company could kill you, Astoria."

    ''Nonsense. This whole thing is just absurd,'' she thought.

    "Anyway, the chief will not accept your resignation," he continued.

    She pouted and walked towards the Chief''s Office, knocked, and was told to enter. She explained the situation to him, and do you know what he told her? Actually, she should have known that he was also a chess piece belonging to Cosmo X. He was a mere pawn who would turn a blind eye to their evil, unlawful actions.

    The Chief told her that she should let Cosmo X go, reconsider her resignation, and instead accept being reassigned to the Violent Crimes Unit. He said she caused too much trouble for the Major Crimes Unit anyway and that this was a wonderful and great opportunity for her to gain experience in another unit in a different place. He called it a ''fresh start''.

    ''What utter nonsense.''

    "Ria, I know you''re upset. I understand that, but this really isn''t the way to go about it," Officer Stanley, or as she called him, Stan, said when she returned to her desk.

    She sighed and gave him a weary smile. Stan was just as upset as she was at what was done to her. They both had passed the police academy exam together and were assigned to the Major Crimes Unit three years ago.

    Time sure did fly. She was 19 years old back then, the youngest to be placed in the Major Crimes Unit. She was, and still is, known as a troublemaker because she always causes a major scene when it comes to fighting and catching criminals.

    When they tried to fight back and escape, she would fight back twice as hard and block any means of escape. Due to her fighting skills, the criminals always ended up in hospital before being taken in for interrogation due to minor injuries. This caused her to be deemed the troublemaker of the Major Crimes Unit.

    "I am glad he did not accept your resignation," he said.

    Stan took her box, which she carried in her arms into his as they walked out of the police station to her car.

    "It would be a crime to waste your golden potential."

    She rolled her green eyes as he put her box in the boot of her car. Walking towards the driver''s seat, she sat down and started the engine, putting on a wry smile as she looked at Stan.

    "You know they nicknamed you Miss Justice Troublemaker here, right?" he asked her.

    She nodded, not really affected by that nickname. Ironically, she actually loved it.

    "Looks like I''m off to Beadville today, Stan."

    Stan nodded, closed her door, and smiled a sad smile.

    "Call me as soon as you arrive. Although you will be moving, something tells me you are not giving up on Cosmo X."

    Of course, she was not giving up on taking down Cosmo X and every stakeholder involved in that unlawful company.

    She grinned.

    "You know me so well."

 Chapter 3 - A Pleasant Night

    After driving past her home and a few other houses, she immediately hit the brakes. She turned the car around and drove back to her home. Parking her car, she stepped out and walked inside her house. She, for the last time, took in its appearance and smell. She began to remember all the memories she had made in this house.

    ''Maybe, I''ll leave tomorrow morning instead.''

    She moved towards the couch, removed the sheet that covered it, and lay on it. Taking out her phone from her back pocket, she typed in Cosmo X''s web address and scrolled through their website.

    "Cosmo X: The company made by the people for the people," she read in a dull, droning way tone.

    She laughed sarcastically as she could not believe this company was responsible for making her leave her home. She slammed her fist against the arm of the couch in frustration. To say that she was angry would be an understatement. However, she refused to give up. She would take down this company even if it cost her life. There was a sudden knock on the door.

    ''Who could that be? I''m not expecting any visitors.''

    She peered through the peephole and noticed it was Jigger.

    ''What''s he doing here?''

    She opened the door and found him holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a takeaway meal in the other.

    "Jigger, what brings you here?"

    He didn''t look nor answer her and just walked past her. She quickly closed the door and followed behind him. He sat on the couch, opened the takeaway meal, and took out two wine glasses that were carefully wrapped. He placed them on the small table in front of the sofa, took out two boxes of Maxine''s Diner meals, and placed them on the table.

    The atmosphere in the house did not feel good. It was so excruciatingly quiet that she was scared to even let out a breath. She could tell that Jigger was somehow angry. Was it because she didn''t tell him she was moving out? Jigger cleared his throat, which startled her.

    "Care to explain this situation, Miss Chambers?" he asked as he poured the wine.

    She sighed. Actually, she planned to tell Jigger that she had moved out after arriving in Beadville. Primarily since he was the one person who had been helping her conduct her investigation on the company as he is a former employee.

    "Um," she cleared her throat and ran her hand around her neck.

    Sighing, she grabbed the glass of wine and, after drinking some, said, "Well."

    "Cosmo X did it," she continued with a bitter smile and downed the rest of the wine.

    He grabbed his wine glass and took a sip.

    "That company does not waste any time," he said. "So, did you lose your job?"

    She took a bite of her burger and immediately smiled. Maxine''s Diner had the best meals on earth.

    She was going to miss this taste so freaking much.

    "Not exactly," she replied as she took another bite.

    No words were spoken for about 30 minutes as they both focussed on their meals. She could sense that Jigger was just trying to cheer her up. He knew how much she loved this place and how hard she worked to join the Major Crimes Unit. He must be feeling her disappointment and frustration. She heard of Beadville from Stan, and it was no different from her current place, Leadville.

    It was just a smaller city. The thought of having to make new friends and get accustomed to new neighbours really did not sit well with her, but it was not like she had a choice. After they finished their meals, they began drinking the rest of the wine. She explained the situation to him.

    "So, Cosmo X thinks that sending you to another city is their best option?" he asked.

    She nodded.

    "It makes sense, don''t you think? If I am far from them, it will be harder for me to go to their company and conduct my investigation. After all, I will be five hours away from this place, especially if you consider the traffic. I heard that traffic from here to Beadville is hectic."

    Jigger sighed and drank the last bit of wine left. He held her hand, which made her widely open her eyes in bewilderment.

    "Listen," he said as he ran his other hand through his hair.

    "I promise you that I will continue to gather evidence while you''re gone. I will keep you posted."

    She nodded and smiled.

    "Just make sure you do not cause any sort of trouble there. I''m sure the Chief of the police station has been told to keep tabs on you. Any wrong move and you could end up getting fired this time. I''m also sure that most of the officers there were bribed by the Cosmo X," he said, letting go of her hand.

    "I know," she said, "Cosmo X has a lot of powerful people behind it. That is why the company gets away with doing inhumane things. I promise I will be careful. I will just pretend to have given up and lie low for a while. I will no longer be the Miss Justice Troublemaker everyone knows. It will be like I turned over a whole new leaf. I will completely fool everyone, and just when it seems like everything is going well for Cosmo X, I will strike."

    Jigger smiled and got up.

    "I will leave you now. I''m sure you are not planning on driving at this hour, right?"

    "I was planning on leaving today but decided not to. I will leave in the early hours of tomorrow," she replied, opening the door for him.

    He nodded and walked out.

    "Take care of yourself that side, Astoria. Call me if anything happens and even if nothing happens, call me," he said and left on his motorbike.

    She nodded and smiled as she closed the door.

    ''Well, Astoria Chambers, it is your last night in this home and this place. At least you got to see Jigger and say goodbye. Although, I have no idea how he knew that I was still home. I don''t remember telling him.''

    She brushed the thought off as she lay on the couch and fell asleep.

 Chapter 4 - Dont Lose Your Soul

    Astoria woke up in the early hours of the morning. She stretched her body and, with a downcast face, looked at her home one last time.

    "I''m really gonna miss this place," she said with a sigh, walking out the house.

    She got in her car and began her five-hour-long drive to Beadville, her new home. She first drove in silence for about an hour of the trip but later turned on the radio. Her favorite song by her celebrity crush, Harry Styles, was playing, and she smiled like a teenager in love. She hummed to the music, her fingers lightly tapping the steering wheel.

    ''Oh, the things I would do to meet him.''

    It was a rainy morning and so cold that she felt as though someone had switched a fan on and placed it right in front of her face. As much as she was sad about her whole predicament, she was still happy that she could continue to be a police officer. Who knows, maybe a fresh start was what she needed. She was lost in thought as she turned into a secluded road.

    ''Well, this is not creepy at all. Why did I decide to leave so freaking early?''

    One had no choice but to take this road as it led and connected to the main road, which heads for Beadville. It was surrounded by thick bushes and trees. Since she left in the early morning hours, there was no trace of any other car driving by. The rain did not make it any easier for her to observe her surroundings.

    Suddenly, she saw a black SUV with black tinted windows driving behind her through her rearview mirror. At first, she did not notice anytahing weird until the SUV suddenly sped up, causing her to raise her eyebrows.

    ''What the hell? Why would anyone drive so dangerously in such weather?''

    There was no other car on the road except the SUV and hers. She occasionally glanced at the SUV, and when it sped up with full speed, her eyes widened. The black SUV suddenly bumped into her tiny car. She screamed in shock as she tried to grab control of her vehicle. The SUV bumped into her car again, this time with excessive force, causing her to lose total control of her vehicle.

    With a loud bang, her car drove straight into a tree. Due to the impact of the collision, she hit her head on the steering wheel, causing her to be semi-conscious. Blood trickled down her face, and all that was heard was her raspy breathing and the sound of rain. Five men walked out of the SUV and opened her car door. One of the men''s cellphone rang.

    "Yes, sir," he said.

    "It is done. No, there are no signs of witnesses around."

    Another man began dragging her body out of the car and placed her on a nearby tree. He checked her pulse.

    "She''s still alive," he stated.

    "Throw her body into the river downstream," another said.

    As the man took her body to the river, another began searching her car. He found her bag, took out her cellphone, and handed the bag to his colleague. He threw the phone on the ground and smashed it with his shoes. His colleague took the bag and left it in the SUV.

    "Make sure that there are no personal belongings left in her car. Do not leave any traces of yourselves. Clean up the car real good and make this seem like an unfortunate accident," the man that was previously on the cellphone instructed.

    "Understood," the other men replied in unison.

    Astoria, semi-conscious, could not believe what was happening to her. She attempted to wake up or move her body, but her body was unresponsive and felt too heavy.

    "Please don''t kill me," she finally managed to speak, although her voice was barely audible to the man carrying her.

    This attempt made her cry out in pain internally as she felt as though the air had been knocked out of her lungs. She did not want to leave the world like this since she still had so much to do.

    ''Cosmo X, I still have to take down that company no matter what. I have to save the lives of those people being used as lab rats. I really wanted to save them. So why am I facing such an ordeal?''

    "I hope this teaches you a lesson," the man said as he held her body, ready to throw her in the river.

    "Never mess with Cosmo X. Our company is way out of your league. Who told you to snoop around and play hero, huh?" he added, his eyes utterly devoid of emotion.

    Before she could attempt to reply, she found her body being tossed into the river. The man watched her body sink into the river. He waited for about five to ten minutes to see if she would reappear, and when she didn''t, he walked away in complete satisfaction.

    ''It can''t end like this.''

    All her attempts of moving proved ineffective as her body did not respond. She could not believe that Cosmo X would end up killing her. She knew that the company was evil but never imagined it would be this evil. It did not make sense to her how the company knew that she was heading for Beadville today. After all, she was supposed to head out yesterday. The only person that knew was Jigger.

    Moreover, when she returned home from the police station yesterday, she did not see any suspicious activity near her house. Even this morning, her neighbourhood was quiet and normal as usual.

    ''No, it can''t be.''

    She suddenly had a realisation. Jigger was really the only person who knew she would leave today. As far as she knew, she had informed her former co-workers that she would leave yesterday afternoon so that she could quickly settle in her new home in Beadville.

    ''No. No. No. He would never do that to me. He would never.''

    She began to feel the life draining out of her. Suddenly, her body felt as light as a feather. A silver flame, which emitted an extremely ice-cold wind, suddenly enveloped her body, making her hiss at the cold sensation. The flame gave her the strength to open her eyes. She almost gasped at the unbelievable sight in front of her. A young woman was floating beside her. Her eyes looked devoid of life. When Astoria looked into her eyes, she felt as though she had seen the hardships the woman had faced.

    The young woman was dressed in what seemed like royal attire, with her long, wavy blue-black hair spread out in the water. Her hair floated around her, making it seem as though she had blue-black baby snakes swimming around her. The young woman faced her palm towards her, and this sudden move made Astoria do the same. Their palms touched, causing their bodies to glisten blindingly.

    "Do you want to be saved?" an angelic voice asked.

 Chapter 5 - From A Policewoman To A Princess

    "Do you want to be saved?" the angelic voice repeated.

    Astoria could not believe what was happening. Who was this woman in front of her, and where was the angelic voice coming from? More importantly, why did she not freak out at what was happening?

    "Yes," she replied.

    "Please save me. I can''t die like this."

    With those words, she felt her body''s soul enter the woman''s body. She gasped as her body began to feel a crippling sensation. A moment later, she felt the sensation leave.

    "She''s awake!"

    She heard someone cry out in the background. She struggled to fully open her eyes as her body felt heavy.

    "Call the doctor right away!"

    She slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the bright light prevalent in the unfamiliar room. To her shock, she saw a tall and slender figure rushing to her side. The creature was beautiful with pointy ears.

    "Do not worry. You are okay now, Princess Nexi," a female voice reassured her.

    ''Princess Nexi?''

    Astoria was confused. Who was Princess Nexi? Who is this unusual creature standing beside her, firmly holding her hand as if she were afraid that the moment she let go, Astoria would disappear? The unusual figure saw the confused expression on Astoria''s face. Before she could say anything, the doctor arrived.

    "This is a miracle!" The doctor exclaimed.

    "The Goddess of the Silver Ocean is surely on her side."

    ''Goddess? Silver Ocean? What?''

    Astoria wondered what these two were talking about.

    "She sure is," the unusual being answered with a loving smile plastered on her face.

    "Who are you, and where am I?" Astoria managed to ask.

    "What? I''m Keya. Keya Enren. Your personal maid. Do you not remember me, Princess Nexi?"

    "Keya?" Astoria asked.

    Astoria sat up with the assistance of Keya. Now, she could take a better look at her so-called personal maid. She almost screamed at the sight of this unusual being, not because she was scared, but because she was surprised. Keya was really beautiful. She had grass green, wavy hair which clumsily covered her thin, charming face. Shining pink eyes, set appealingly within their sockets, watched her.

    A flower mark stretched from just under her eye, running towards the tip of her nose and ending on her left cheek. Keya Enren was a charming elf who stood out among other elves. Something was enthralling about her, Astoria noticed. Perhaps it was simply her radiating innocence and the marks of dried tears prevalent on her face from the times she had cried for the now conscious princess.

    "Oh dear," Keya gasped as she looked at Astoria and then the doctor.

    "I think she has lost her memories. Something is surely wrong with her," the doctor stated as he began thoroughly examining Astoria.

    The doctor was also an unusual creature. He was about the size of a human, had four arms, two legs, and a long thin tail. Perhaps Astoria was not fully conscious as she only noticed his shocking appearance now. His soft, smooth skin was covered in thick fluffy fur, which was an unusual red. He looked like an omnivore with his long narrow mouth, sharp teeth, and long tongue.

    "Do you remember anything that happened a week ago on the day you went to the river?" he asked her.

    "The river? What river?" she asked him.

    The doctor sighed. As he suspected, she most definitely had temporary amnesia. He finished his examination and jotted down notes in his book.

    "Make sure she takes these tablets in the morning when she wakes up and in the evening before she sleeps. I will tell the servants to inform the King that she is awake," he told Keya.

    The elf nodded and watched as the doctor packed up his belongings and left. She faced Astoria, a smile on her face.

    "Princess Nexi, do you really not remember me or what happened that day?" she asked, biting her bottom lip as she waited in anticipation for Astoria''s answer.

    "No, I really don''t. Am I Princess Nexi? Who was that doctor, and why does he, not to mention you too, look so...weird?"

    The green-haired elf sighed.

    "I don''t know what you mean by us looking ''weird'', but that was Doctor Sior. He''s your personal doctor," she replied.

    Astoria looked surprised.

    "And you are Princess Nexi of the Kingdom of Ashen," the elf continued, "the last born daughter of King Aqilus, bearer of the Silver Ocean."

    "King Aqilus? What is this Silver Ocean you keep mentioning?"

    Astoria asked. Her brain was spinning from all the information she was being fed. Princess? The Kingdom of Ashen? Bearer of the Silver Ocean? Last born daughter? It was all too much for her to take, and she could feel her head pounding from the overload of information.

    "Your father is the King of Ashen and one of the Water Folk. He was the bearer of the Silver Ocean, a power bestowed to a descendant of the Water Folk chosen by the Goddess of the Silver Ocean, Lumina until he gave you that power." Keya slowly explained.

    "I understand," Astoria said softly.

    Actually, she did not understand. She was now even more confused. When the angelic voice had asked her if she wanted to be saved, she did not know this was what it meant. Being stuck in a different body in a new world full of magical creatures with a power she had no idea how to control was not her idea of being saved. Her having amnesia made the whole situation far worse.

    ''How did I end up like this in the first place, again? Oh, right. Cosmo X tried to kill me.''

    "Keya, how did I end up like this? In bed, with amnesia and all? Is it because I went to this river you keep mentioning ?"

    Keya''s face became downcast, and she looked at Astoria''s hand. She looked like she did not want to answer that question.

    "What happened-"

    Astoria could not finish her question. She was immediately interrupted by the door opening and revealing a man who rushed to her side and hugged her, tears rolling down his face. With a bow, the elf the room leaving Astoria and the man alone to speak.

    "My daughter. I''m so sorry. You. Sorry. It''s all my fault," he fumbled for words as he placed his hands on top of hers and brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

    With a fatherly smile on his face, the man said, "I''m so glad you are safe."

    ''I guess he is King Aqilus, Princess Nexi''s father who is now my father.. Argh, this is all so hard to believe. What kind of fairytale predicament did I just sign myself up for?''

 Chapter 6 - The Kingdom Of Ashen

    Astoria scanned the man in front of her. He had short silver, straight hair pulled back to reveal a handsome, worried face. Dark brown eyes watched her. What looked like a wound caused by a sword stretched on the left side of his neck, leaving a painful reminder of a war fought long ago.

    This was the face of King Aqilus, a true ruler who stood for and protected his people. Something was enchanting about him. Perhaps it was his powerful aura. Nonetheless, he looked like someone who people tended to stay on his good side while wishing they were more like him.

    "I was told that you have temporary amnesia," he said, snapping her out of her observation.

    She nodded, and he sighed, caressing the side of her face. His warm touch somehow made her feel safe and protected. It was too bad that these feelings were those of Princess Nexi and not hers.

    "Do not worry. You will get your memories back very soon. Just focus on resting for now."

    "Actually," she said, her hands fidgeting out of nervousness at her upcoming request, "If it''s okay with you, I would like to tour this place."

    "This place?" the king asked.

    She nodded. Maybe this could help her remember something that could be useful to her.

    "Please, it might help jog my memories."

    Astoria sensed that the king was hesitant.

    "Fine, but make sure that Keya accompanies you. As soon as you start feeling unwell, come back to your room and rest," he said, getting up to leave.

    With utter relief, her lips curled into a smile, and she nodded.

    "Make sure you watch her closely," he instructed the elf who had entered the room.

    "Yes, your highness," she bowed.

    He left, and Astoria let out a loud sigh. She began to sum up her predicament with the information she found out.

    ''So my soul is stuck in this woman''s body. This woman is Princess Nexi of the Kingdom of Ashen. Her father is King Aqilus, who happens to be a descendant of the Water Folk. She has the power of the Silver Ocean, whatever that''s supposed to mean, and this elf in front of me is Keya, my personal maid?''

    "Wait a minute," she said aloud, coming to a realisation.

    ''If my soul is stuck in this body, then what about this woman''s soul? Also, what happened to my body? Does that mean I can never go back to my body, seeing as I have no clue what''s happened to my body and this woman''s soul? I read novels on soul swaps and the sort, but I never thought it would actually happen to me! I pray that my body was found by someone and that I''m currently at the hospital. However, would my body be safe from Cosmo X even if that were true?''

    She softly sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.

    "What is it, Princess Nexi?" Keya asked, worried that she was beginning to feel unwell again.

    "Oh, um," she snapped back to her new reality.

    "We can leave now. I believe that a tour of this place is really needed."

    She attempted to get up without the help of Keya and stood beside her. The elf nodded, opened the door, and looked at her.

    "Where do you want to go to first?"

    Astoria shrugged. Anywhere was fine with her. She just needed to get out of this unfamiliar room.

    "How about the throne hall first? It''s one of your favourite areas within the palace."

    Astoria nodded, and they took about five minutes to get to the throne room. She was not prepared for the sight in front of her.

    ''I mean, I know that the rooms in palaces are beautiful and well renovated, but this is beyond any throne room I have ever seen. No wonder Keya said it was one of Princess Nexi''s favorite areas.''

    She scanned the hall, her mouth agape at the structure and beauty, utterly mesmerised. Bulky braziers attached to each of the twelve sandstone columns lit up every part of the throne hall. This radiated a warmth across the hall. There were illustrations of a legendary victory on the domed ceiling, which danced in the flickering light.

    One of the men in the illustrations looked like the king. Marble icons looked down upon the wooden floor of the radiant hall. A burgundy rug ran from the throne, down the center, and looped back from the left and right while beautiful winged banners needlework the walls.

    Between each banner, there stood several tapers of various sizes, all but a few had been lit and in turn illuminated the wall paintings of powerful creatures and family portraits. She was further mesmerised when she caught sight of an impressive throne carved from what seemed like silver and gold. The throne sat in front of a giant painting of what appeared to be the previous ruler and was adjoined by four impressive seats set for those close to the royal highness.

    "Who''s the man in the giant painting?"

    She pointed to the giant painting which sat behind the throne.

    The elf turned in the direction she was pointing at and smiled.

    "That was the previous ruler. Your grandfather, Sir Heimdal."

    The elf looked proud as she spoke. Astoria placed her hands on her hips as she looked at the throne, covered in symmetrical emblems. Fixed on each of the front legs was a silver flame. The bulky pillows placed on the seats were light silver, and they too had been adorned with emblazoned tuffs.

    It was safe to say that in such a throne room, those listening to the king could do so on the plethora of both luxurious and comfortable wooden benches, all of which were diagonally facing the throne. Those who were of higher standing could instead take their seats in the extravagant mezzanines overlooking the throne.

    "This place is truly lovely. I can''t imagine what this must have cost. I could never afford such luxury," she told Keya.

    "Of course you can afford this, Princess Nexi. This kingdom also belongs to you since you are one of the princesses of this kingdom," Keya stated.

    "Oh right, you told me I have a sister and brother. Where are they?" she asked her.

    "They left for Leararts, the Academy of Sorcery. They have classes to attend today."

    "Academy of Sorcery?"

    "Yes, you are enrolled there as students. There you all practice magic. You and your siblings are in your final year at the academy, although you three are at different levels."

    Astoria twirled a strand of her hair and bit her lip.

    ''Great. I''m a student, which means I have to learn magic, right? I have to attend this Leararts Academy.. This kinda ruffles my feathers a tiny bit. Why is this happening to me?''

 Chapter 7 - The Goddess And The Silver Ocean

    After touring the Throne Hall, Astoria and Keya took a stroll outside. At first, the green-haired elf was hesitant to let her go out. Still, with Astoria''s persuasive skills, which she learned at the police academy, Keya agreed. As they walked outside, Astoria''s eyes were darting everywhere, taking in every detail of the palace. She turned to face the castle in front of her.

    ''Woah, it''s gigantic!''

    Stylish windows were placed here and there across the walls in an asymmetric pattern, along with asymmetric crenellations for archers and artillery. Statues of kings were lined up outside the palace gates, serving as a reminder of the past. The palace did not show any signs of decay, although it had been around for ages.

    A grand entrance with colossal metal doors, a draw bridge, and hot oil pots offered a warm haven within this lukewarm Kingdom. The draw bridge seemed like it was the only easy way in. Still, one would be surprised by the difficulty one would experience to enter the palace as the security was tight.

    ''Is it being held up by magic?''

    Trees and well-kept bushes grew close to the castle gates, which provide valuable wood for various purposes. The castle had really stood the test of time with its twenty slim, round towers linked to small bridges and connected by giant, narrow walls made of bluestone.

    The palace had well-kept gardens with fragrant flowers, trimmed bushes, and various fountains with sculptures of magical creatures. One could see buildings, houses, and other structures of varying colours and sizes populating the grounds outside the palace walls. Some houses looked better than others, while other houses looked like they belonged to the poorest of the poor.

    "Do all the creatures live in harmony?" she asked Keya.

    "Yes, Princess Nexi. There was a war between the different creatures more than two thousand years ago. It was a horrible war, the worst of its kind. Species turned against each other. Some were almost wiped out."

    They walked to the garden and sat on a silver bench. The palace garden had a well-kept plot of grass which was enclosed by huge flower bushes. A lone, heavy boulder sat to the left, and on top of it stood a gold ornament. The rows of flowers were really well looked after but still allowed plenty of space to grow; they were buzzing with various insects.

    The flower bushes reached 1.3m high but never usually grew this tall. A path of stepping stones curved around each bend of the garden, directing visitors around naturally. A large decorative golden fountain with the statue of the Goddess was the pride and joy of the garden.

    "That was until Lumina, the Goddess of the Silver Ocean, showed up."

    The elf pointed at the golden fountain.

    "That''s the Goddess?"

    Keya nodded.

    "She met with the Water Folk and bestowed the king, King Leararts, the power to wield the Silver Ocean. Thanks to that, the kingdom was saved, and so were the lives of the people."

    Keya had continued, staring off into space.

    "King Leararts? Oh, I''m guessing that''s why the academy is called Leararts."

    Astoria realised. The elf nodded.

    "But what is this Silver Ocean, exactly? Can I control the ocean with it?" she asked.

    "Not exactly. It is the power that comes from the Goddess herself. Like a heart, it pulses magical energies into the world. It can restore what has been lost, turned evil, or broken. To put it in simpler terms, it is one of the most powerful and pure magic powers anyone could possess. Before, many creatures had this power, but as the years passed, they began to find it difficult to control and bend this energy to their will. They also used the power for evil. The Goddess saw this and took the power away from them. That is why only someone strong and pure of heart can wield it and why the Goddess bestows the power herself. Your father, the king, was given that power from her."

    "Why is it called the ''Silver Ocean'' if it has nothing to do with controlling the ocean?"

    Astoria asked the elf. A light, gentle wind blew, causing the elf to tuck her green hair behind her ear.

    "Since the power can only be given to a Water Folk, a creature belonging to the ocean, according to the Goddess, it was named that. The ''Silver'' is for the colour the power emits when in use."

    "I see," Astoria mumbled.

    "Although you are the youngest, born out of wedlock and not from the queen, the Goddess chose you as the next wielder. This infuriated your siblings."

    The king had met Princess Nexi''s mother on his journey to Nurn Farum, a city only inhabited by humans. The king saw her at her weapons shop and instantly fell her. It was love at first sight. A passionate night occurred during his short stay, and Nexi was born months later.

    "When you were born, the people of Nurn Farum were not so welcoming. They said they couldn''t allow a child of the Water Folk to live in the city, especially since the city was only for humans. Although your mother pleaded to stay in the city, she was banished. That''s when you came here to Ashen."

    Keya looked at Astoria.

    "Your father had no idea of your existence, and although the queen had protested on your mother''s stay in the palace, there was no denying that you were the king''s daughter. The queen and your mother got into an accident five years later. This left your siblings, the king, and you very heartbroken. You and your siblings have never gotten along ever since you came to this kingdom, especially your sister."

    "I see."

    Again, Astoria was overwhelmed at the information she was being told. However, she was grateful that the elf was responding to her questions. She came to a hypothesis.

    ''So, these siblings may dislike Princess Nexi because she was given the power of the Silver Ocean, although she was born an illegitimate child and a mixed breed. Then is it possible that whatever led to the Nexi having amnesia was planned? I mean, that''s usually the case with most of the novels I have read. Was the princess maybe attacked? No, that can''t be. Her body shows no signs of wounds, but then again, maybe she got healed by a healer or something.''

    Whatever the case may be, she told herself that she had to find out what had happened to Nexi. It was no use asking the elf because she seemed like she was trying to hide the incident.

    She also doubted that the king would say anything about it. Someone may be trying to kill Nexi. Out of spite? Anger? Maybe jealousy? She did not know.. Either way, she has to find out what happened, figure out how to get her body back and leave this magical world.

 Chapter 8 - Diary Of An Unwanted Princess

    "I think we can go back inside now," she said.

    She needed some alone time in her room. The elf nodded, and when they got back to the room, she told her to call her if she needed anything. Astoria nodded and watched as Keya left her room. She sat down on the bed and, with her hand covering her face, internally screamed. She summarised her predicament as she paced back and forth in the room.

    "Okay, I seem to know a bit of what''s happening. I really feel sorry for this lady. We were both mistreated and victims. She most probably got attacked by someone close or an enemy. This is similar to my case."

    ''Either way, we are both in a similar situation right now. Maybe the only way to go back to my body is to solve this attempted murder case. Is it attempted murder, though? I have to secretly conduct an investigation. No one can ever know that I''m someone else. Absolutely not.''

    She walked to the dresser and began rummaging through each shelf, hoping to find something with helpful information. As she opened the last shelf, she noticed a tiny crack on the side. Running her fingers down the gap, she found a secret opening and put her fingers through it. She discovered a book under the pile of undergarments. Taking the book in her hands, she sat down on the bed and read the cover. ''Nexi''s Diary'' was written on the cover.

    "Wow, even diaries exist in this world? Well, I guess it kinda makes sense since this room looks a bit modern."

    The room really had a modern look with its short and tall half-round windows, allowing enough light to enter the room. One large window overlooked the garden. The spacious, square bedroom had coordinating silver glass furniture, the dining seating was cushioned with adorable animal plushies. The carpeting flooring gave the bedroom a warm, natural beauty and felt both soft and warm under her feet.

    Colours can affect someone''s mood, so this must have been considered as the walls were painted in warm colours. One would notice the memorabilia collection of ornaments and figurines as the first things they see when they walk into the room. Turning the cover, she sat down by the window which overlooked the garden and quietly read the first page.

    "Dear diary. It''s been eight years since my mother passed away. I''m thirteen now, and father told me I can finally start practicing magic. It took eight years for my magical energy force to awaken. Father called it the power of the Silver Ocean. He said that I could start attending Leararts, one of the kingdom''s best academies, to learn and practice sorcery. My first lesson is tomorrow, and I am really excited. I hope I don''t make a fool of myself."

    She turned to the next page.

    "I tried to talk to my sister, but she just ignored me. I think she really hates me. I won''t give up trying to befriend her, though. We are a family, after all. My brother also ignores me every time I try to converse with him during dinner. I do not know if I hurt his feelings somehow. I asked father, but he just told me the same thing he always tells me, "Your siblings are tired from all the magic they had to do at the academy. You know how magic can drain your energy." I hope he is right. Anyway, I am excited for tomorrow so let me go to sleep so that I can feel refreshed and energised."

    At the bottom of the page were drawings of red and purple hearts. Astoria rubbed her neck and read the next page.

    "Dear diary. Oh dear, I really made a fool of myself today! I am so embarrassed!!! I wish the Earth could have swallowed me at that time. Mrs. Elless, my Mentalist Magic teacher, might still be angry with me tomorrow. Why did the spell go wrong? I said exactly what was written in the textbook, so why did that happen? Mrs. Elless told us to cast the spell, Imbetus, which shrinks an object. We all had to shrink the pen on our table, but instead of shrinking my pen, I enlarged her! How does that even happen!?"

    Astoria paused to laugh.

    ''Indeed, how does that happen?''

    She continued reading the page.

    "I was so ashamed and bewildered! Fortunately, she reversed the spell, but she was not pleased with me one bit. My first impression was ruined! The whole class laughed at me, and no one wanted to befriend me because of that incident, that one accidental incident. Even writing about it is embarrassing. You should see how flushed my face looks right now. When father asked me how my first day went, I just said, "Not too bad," because there was no way I could tell him what happened. Tomorrow will be better, right?"

    Astoria read for about an hour without being interrupted. She obtained new information thanks to the diary, although she did not finish reading every diary entry. Through the diary, she found out about Nexi''s early school life. She read what looked like the latest entries and managed to find out who Nexi''s former teachers, current teachers, her two friends, and what she liked and hated to eat.

    "Hopefully, this helps me, even just a little."

    Someone knocked on her door.

    "Who is it?"

    "It''s Keya, Princess Nexi. It is now time for dinner. I was told to escort you to the dining hall."

    "Just a minute!"

    Astoria rushed to put the diary back in its place. She opened the door and followed the elf to the dining hall, and boy was it a dining hall. There was a highly elongated table made of glass. On top of the table was a variety of delicious and appealing food.

    Her mouth began to water as she did not realise she was that hungry. Lifting her head to look at the King, she noticed two people sitting beside the King, a male and a female. They were Nexi''s older siblings.

    "Please, come sit."

    The King gestured to an empty seat beside Nexi''s sister, who she noticed was subtly glaring at her, making it only visible for her to see.

 Chapter 9 - Awkward Dinner

    Astoria nodded and sat next to Nexi''s sister, feeling a bit awkward. She bowed her head and clasped her hands together. Her palms began to sweat due to nervousness.

    "You do not have to look so nervous, my child. I have already informed your siblings about your amnesia. Don''t force yourself to behave in a certain way. Just remain calm and focus on getting your memories back," said the king.

    She nodded, and the maids and servants began to lift the lids covering the food. The dishes in front of her looked delectable. One of the dishes was a baked sweet potato Caesar salad with simple romaine lettuce, tomato, and carrots. It had deliciously sweet baked potatoes cut into cubes and topped with a cashew-based Caesar dressing. It looked like it would trigger your sweet, salty, and bitter taste buds.

    Another dish that caught her eye was a fennel souffl�� which was somewhat succulent with a creamy texture. It was enhanced by green beans mixed with paprika and aloe vera. It smelled fragrance-free with plenty of mulberries and was rich and delicious. One could really feel how no artificial sweeteners were used and how high the protein would be.

    She was looking forward to indulging herself with that dish. When all the lids were removed from the table, they began to dish up. There was a fire-roasted chicken with cooked oregano potatoes. She dished a fair share of the meal on her plate. When everyone was done dishing up, they began eating. The minute the chicken touched her tongue, bursts of flavours instantly filled her mouth. She felt like her spirit was lifted.

    ''The power of food.''

    No one said a word during the meal, which made her feel somewhat relieved. She was not in the mood to talk just yet as she couldn''t calm her beating heart. After what seemed like an hour, the table was cleared. The king had ordered the maids and servants to leave the room as he wanted to have a private discussion with his children. He cleared his throat and clasped his hands together.

    "As you all know," he began, "Nexi is having a hard time remembering things."

    She believed that she had to carefully monitor what facial expressions and words the siblings would execute. After all, she suspected them, or maybe one of them, of being the person that harmed Nexi and caused this amnesia. It was just a hypothesis she had to figure out.

    "Please help her by being patient with her. She may act in a confused manner or feel uncomfortable around you. Still, please understand the situation."

    The king looked at his eldest children, and they obediently nodded.

    "Nexi, that is your older sister, Naida," he said, "and that is your older brother, Morven."

    She looked at Nexi''s sister, Princess Naida. Naida had long, purple hair in a tight bun with a fringe that neatly hung over her fresh, beautiful face. Turquoise aquamarine eyes watched her up and down as if she were being scanned. A tattoo of a small dragon was subtly placed above her right shoulder. Astoria couldn''t help but stare at it, and Naida noticed.

    "It''s not a real tattoo, in case you''re wondering. This is just a symbol of my power," Naida said, running her fingers along the dragon symbol.

    "Uh-huh," Astoria responded.

    From what she had read in Nexi''s diary, Naida has the power, Fiery Flux, so she can conjure fire. She also read that Naida was the one who disliked her the most because of not having the power of the Silver Ocean being bestowed upon her. This was especially since she was a pure Water Folk, unlike Nexi, who was a hybrid.

    "All this is truly unfortunate, father," Naida said, her right hand placed on her heart.

    What was she planning? Clearly, her acting button was switched on because the older sister spoke about how she would do whatever it took to get her little sister''s memories back. Astoria could detect the deception in Naida''s words thanks to her analytical skills. She does have more than three years of experience when it comes to analysing whether a person is lying or not.

    "Yes, father. Naida and I will help our little sister in any way we can."

    Morvin chimed in. He was a handsome twenty-five year old Water Folk with silver hair like his father and eyes as black as the night. He faked a smile as he looked at Astoria. She just nodded, smiling awkwardly at the prince. One thing she knew for sure was that Nexi''s siblings were acting.

    "Thank you, brother and sis-"

    She was interrupted by a maid who opened the door.

    "Your highness. I believe you are needed in your study as a guest is waiting for you," the maid said.

    With that, the king got up and went to his study. The siblings sighed, and the only people left in the dining hall were Astoria and them.

    "Damn, I was getting exhausted trying to keep my emotions in check with this sight for sore eyes sitting beside me," Naida tucked some loose locks behind her ears.

    "Serves you right, Nexi. You deserve all this. The Gods are punishing you for causing my mother''s death."

    "Your mother? I caused her death? What are...?"

    Astoria paused and stared at the siblings. In a situation like this, she was required to remain calm and not look intimidated by this girl. She couldn''t believe she was being called a sight for sore eyes. One thing she was proud of was her looks. Yes, she did not think she was as beautiful as Naida, but she was beautiful.

    "Of course," Morvin answered, moving to sit next to his sister.

    "After all, they fought because of you."

    Astoria was now vigilant. She knew that there was more to the statement which the siblings were saying.

    "Listen here," she told them, "I don''t think I''m in the right mind for you guys to be saying such horrible things to me."

    It was crystal clear that they were trying to make her feel uncomfortable and put her in a far worse state than she already was. This could potentially hinder the process of her getting her memories back.

    ''How can siblings be so cruel to each other?''

 Chapter 10 - A Battle Of Nerves

    "Oh, please. I''m just stating the facts," Morvin said.

    "Excuse me?" Astoria asked, utterly interested in the boy''s statement.

    She needed to get as much information from them to help her temporarily live in this fantasy world.

    "Don''t ''excuse me?''. You know what you did," Morvin said, his hands fisted.

    She blankly stared at him, tipping her head to the side. She crossed her arms, a scowl plastered on her face.

    "Actually," she said, completely annoyed, "I honestly don''t."

    Naida abruptly stood up, seething with anger.

    "I don''t know why you are behaving like this! You think my brother and I don''t know that you are just faking your amnesia?" she asked, downright furious.

    "But I''m not-"

    "Oh please, Nexi," Morvin interrupted, standing up.

    He stood behind Astoria, turned her chair so she could face him. He placed his hands on both arms of the chair, completely blocking any attempt for her to escape.

    ''What the hell?''

    "You don''t have to pretend in front of us. We know," he said, staring intensely at her, "that you''re just putting on an act because you don''t have what it takes to control the Silver Ocean."

    "Exactly," Naida agreed, "You feel burdened. I don''t know why the Goddess had to give you the power when I could have been the wielder."

    "I mean," she continued, running her fingers through her purple hair, her turquoise aquamarine eyes staring into space.

    "I''m a full-fledged Water Folk, while you are not."

    She told her brother to move to the side and placed her left hand on Astoria''s ruffled dress.

    "After all, I''m next in line for the throne."

    Her left hand suddenly began to spark. She grinned eerily at her as smoke began to appear. A part of Astoria''s dress started to catch alight. Astoria''s eyes widened like saucers in surprise.

    "Don''t you, therefore, think it''s only right that I am given your power, my dear little sister?"

    Astoria could feel slight heat seeping through her dress. She pushed Naida''s hand away, to which the girl scowled. She got up and glared at her.

    "Now, the both of you better listen up," she told them, eyes blazing with anger.

    "I don''t know what the hell you''re doing, sister, or what you and your brother are planning. However, know that I will not sit still and just watch in silence like a weakling!"

    Naida and Morvin exchanged looks of surprise and stared at their little sister, who was behaving unusually brave.

    "First of all," Astoria continued, "I''m not acting. This is real. I remember nothing. Heck, I don''t even like what is happening to me! I never asked for this. I don''t wanna be stuck in this world with the likes of siblings who hate me to the point where I don''t know what they could do to-"

    "What do you mean "stuck in this world" ?" Morvin interrupted, raising one eyebrow.

    "I mean stuck in a world where I don''t remember anything," she said.

    She could not let them find out that she was not Nexi. These two most definitely shouldn''t know. Who knows what they could do to her with that kind of information.

    "I''ve had enough of this," Naida said, leaving the room.

    Only Astoria and Morvin were left in the room. He grinned and walked towards the door. Before leaving, he turned his head and glanced at her.

    "I''m surprised by your behaviour. It''s like losing your memories made you a completely different person," he said, also leaving the room.

    She let out a sigh of relief, glad that they finally left.

    ''Man, I was so tempted to smack that pretty face of hers.''

    Either way, she was now able to conclude that she had to closely observe those two. Walking out of the dining room, she was greeted by the elf, who was patiently waiting for her.

    "Princess Nexi," Keya said, looking at the burn mark on her ruffled dress.

    "Oh, dear. Are you alright?"

    Astoria followed her gaze, saw that there was a burn mark on her dress, and frowned.

    ''Tsk, talk about hostile siblings.''

    She touched the burn mark, sighed, and smiled at the green-haired elf whose eyes were full of worry.

    "I''m okay, Keya," she reassured her.

    "Please take me to my room."

    The elf nodded, and they walked to her room.

    "I will be outside if you need me," Keya told her.

    "Wait," Astoria said as Keya was about to walk out the door.

    The elf stopped in her tracks, looking at the princess.

    "Yes, Princess Nexi?"

    "Okay, first of all, call me Nexi when it''s just the two of us, okay?"

    "But that is-"

    Astoria held her hand up, signalling Keya to be quiet. The elf clasped her hands together and stood silent. She was confused by the princess'' behaviour and imagined that this was one of the side effects of her amnesia.

    "Also, no bowing to me, alright?" Astoria added, placing her hands on the elf''s slender shoulders.

    "Y-yes Pr-," Keya stammered, "I mean, yes Nexi. As you wish."

    She smiled at the princess. Clearly, this was gonna be hard and tricky for her to do. She has been on Nexi''s side since the day the princess and her mother entered the palace. The king had assigned her to look after the young princess and her mother ever since. She was a very loyal elf and a mother figure to Nexi. Nexi was now twenty-two years old and had grown up to become a fine young woman thanks to her.

    "Oh. Also, please stay by my side tonight."

    Keya''s eyes widened. Astoria did not feel like being in this big bedroom alone, especially after what happened between her and Naida.

    "I just don''t want to be alone right now," she explained, staring intently at the burn mark on her dress.

    "Oh. I understand, Pri-"

    Keya stopped, quickly correcting herself, "Nexi."

    Astoria smiled, walking towards the dresser.

    "Great."

    She needed to change into a nightgown. After rummaging through the clothes, she found a pink nightgown and walked into the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and gasped loudly.

    "Is everything alright?" Keya asked upon hearing her loud gasp.

    "Oh yes, everything is alright! Don''t worry, I just thought I saw a spider!"

    She looked at her reflection again as she never got to take a good look at the young princess'' appearance.

    ''Wow.''

 Chapter 11 - Dangerous Encounter Part 1

    Astoria was astonished by Nexi''s beauty. This woman had long blue-black, wavy hair, a small round and radiant face, and porcelain skin. Her almond-shaped, glittering cobalt eyes were deep-set, and she had neat eyebrows. A particularly notable feature was her very faint freckles and thin, pink lips.

    ''Are most of the human-looking species in this world this good looking?''

    She changed into her nightgown, made from silk, and put the dress she had worn in a basket. Coming out of the bathroom, she saw that the elf had already made a bed on the floor using a blanket and pillow.

    "Are you gonna sleep there?"

    Keya, who was in a sitting position, nodded.

    Astoria sighed. There was no way she would let the pretty elf sleep on the floor when a large bed that could fit five people was in the room. Why was the bed so large, anyway?

    "Nope," she said, holding Keya''s hand, "get up."

    The elf stood up, a look of confusion on her face.

    "You are gonna sleep on this large bed with me," she told her.

    "But that''s a bit," Keya paused.

    "It''s fine. It''s fine," Astoria said, getting on the bed.

    "This bed could practically fit like five of me. Now hurry up."

    The elf awkwardly got on the bed and watched as the Astoria covered them both with the blanket. The blanket was very fluffy and warm, making Astoria wiggle in delight. Keya was as stiff as a post, unsure about how to feel in this situation. Astoria noticed.

    "Hey, no need to be so stiff. Relax."

    She could feel the elf begin to loosen up and stared at the ceiling, letting out a sigh of relief.

    "Anyway, thank you for today. I felt a bit at ease having you by my side."

    "I am only doing my job, Pri-. I mean Nexi," the elf responded.

    "Can I ask you something?" she asked the elf.

    "Of course."

    "What am I like? I mean, what kind of person am I?"

    "You are quite optimistic, sympathetic, and selfless. You are also very ambitious, disciplined, and friendly," Keya replied.

    "Most times," she continued, "when you are going through a hard time, you never tell anyone. I once asked you why you keep it all inside, and you said that you did not want to be a burden to others since they might be going through their problems as well."

    "Uh huh."

    This was similar to her personality, minus the whole being optimistic and friendly. She always struggled with those two traits. However, she had her reasons.

    "Okay, you''re only telling me good things," she said, turning her head to face the pink-eyed elf.

    "What about my negative qualities? Flaws? Do I do things that are not good or unusual?"

    The elf was silent, unsure if she should say anything. She was afraid that it would anger the princess and get her in trouble.

    "You won''t get in trouble if you tell me, nor will I be angry," Astoria reassured her as she sensed her hesitation.

    "Well," Keya gulped nervously, "you do have some negative qualities, but don''t we all?"

    "Okay, tell me."

    With a soft sigh, Keya began to speak.

    "Sometimes, you can be impatient, stubborn, and naive. You can also get a bit aggressive and hostile. However, that only applies at the sight of orcs."

    "Orcs? Why is that?" Astoria asked curiously.

    The elf was silent. She did not feel like explaining, afraid that it could trigger the princess to feel dejected.

    "Tell me," Astoria said.

    She knew what orcs were since she read her fair share of fantasy novels. Orcs were misshaped fanged humanoids. A brutal, sadistic, ugly, and malevolent race of monsters. She once read in a book that some could either reach human height or be shorter and smaller in appearance. They also share a human sense when it comes to morality.

    "Well, they..."

    The elf paused, clasping her hands together.

    "They..." Astoria said, urging her to finish her sentence.

    "They killed your mother and the queen," Keya hurriedly stated.

    "I''ll show you. This is a spell called Pestuno Canilso. It lets the caster show another person their memories. Since I was also there on the day of the incident and remember everything vividly, I''ll show you what happened seventeen years ago."

    (Author''s note: From here on, the incident that led to the deaths of Nexi''s mother and the queen will be revealed with Keya using her magic to project moving images of the incident.)

    A moving image began to hover over Keya''s hands. It showed the king telling the queen and Nexi''s mother during dinner that he had to meet with the other North and East Kingdom rulers the next day. He said he would be gone for about a month as they had a lot to discuss and places they needed to travel to.

    During one of the days, the queen decided they should all go to town for a meal at Phanio, one of the best restaurants in Ashen. Since the queen did not want Nexi''s mother to tell the king that she left them and had gone to the restaurant with her children only, she decided to invite them and Keya along. They all got into the carriage, guards following behind them.

    Before they could reach the town, orcs appeared from behind the trees, killing all the guards. They forced everyone out of the carriage. Nexi and her siblings could not fight or defend themselves since their magical energy forces were not awakened yet. Morvin and Naida were tied to a tree.

    Keya''s powers were no match for the orcs, so they also tied the elf to a tree. The orcs did not tie Nexi as her mother had quickly and swiftly pulled her from the hold of one of the orcs. It was not their goal to tie Nexi up since they demanded to take her with them as she was the one they were after. Nexi''s mother blatantly refused to let them take her daughter.

    "What do you want with my child?" her mother asked, hugging her protectively.

    One orc got furious and took out a long, broad, barbed blade made of metal and held by a grip wrapped in extravagant, forest green salmon leather. With a single, sharp edge, this weapon could protect anyone from incoming blows and give them the ability to shred their enemies to pieces. The blade had a jagged, twisted cross-guard, adding just enough weight to make sure the blade sat firmly in the owner''s hand.

    "Listen here, lady," one orc said rather aggressively, "We are not politely asking you to take your little girl with us. We''re telling you."

    "The girl is leaving with us, and what we want to do with her is of no concern to you," another orc chimed in.

    Nexi froze in her mother''s arms, her heart beating so loud and fast that she thought it was going to burst. The queen was held tightly by another orc, thus restraining her movements. It irked her to think that a disgusting orc was laying its hands on her.

    Nexi felt her mother slowly move one of her hands to one of the ruffles on her dress. She swiftly took out an awakening potion she had hidden under the ruffles of her dress. This would give her magical powers for a short duration. Nexi wondered when her mother had hidden that potion there.

    "No. You all better listen to me," she said, quickly taking a few gulps of the potion, causing her body to glow an indigo colour.

    "My daughter is not going anywhere. Anyone that touches as much as a strand of her hair, he will not live to see tomorrow."

    Nexi''s mother''s cobalt eyes blazed as she stood straight and powerful before the haughty orcs.

 Chapter 12 - Dangerous Encounter Part 2

    Astoria was silent the whole time, closely watching the moving images floating above Keya''s hands. She was thankful that the elf had this kind of spell. It really helped her get a better sense of what led to Nexi and her sibling''s parents'' deaths, as well as the animosity between them. She stared at the image of the orc standing next to Morvin and Naida, completely disgusted at its appearance.

    "We were going to be generous and not kill you at all," it said, "but I guess you do not plan on being obedient."

    With that, one orc rushed towards Nexi''s mother. She pushed her daughter to the side, and falling to the other side of the road, the daughter watched as her mother conjured a spell she had never seen her cast before.

    "Magniulus Elementindo!"

    Her mother yelled out, and an irregular, indigo-coloured ray of sparks rose from her hands. She faced the sparks towards the oncoming orc, causing the orc to float upside down. It hissed in anger, causing the other orcs to target her. The orc holding the queen let go of her and ran to attack Nexi''s mother. Seizing the opportunity, the queen cast a spell that untied her children and Keya. The elf ran towards Nexi, grabbing her hand, and running to Morvin and Naida''s side.

    "Puriorgio Contageum," the queen said.

    This caused a crimson blaze of particles to hit three orcs floating upside down, thus shrinking them. When Keya tried to conjure a spell to escape with the children, two orcs surrounded her.

    "Where do you think you are going with our possession, pretty elf?" one orc asked, a snarl on his grotesque-looking face.

    Nexi''s mother cast another spell to turn the two orcs surrounding Keya and the children upside down. The queen shrunk those orcs, and the elf quickly cast a spell that targeted those orcs. Placing both her hands on the ground, a simple, green blaze of sparks erupted from them, causing vines to come out of the earth and bind the shrunken orcs.

    They shrieked in pain as they began to be mercilessly crushed by the vines. She quickly let her vines wrap the other shrunken orcs. Although Nexi''s mother''s magic power was not as powerful as the queens, thanks to their teamwork, all the orcs had been turned upside down, shrunk, and bound by the vines. The queen ran to her children and hugged them. They cried and trembled in her arms.

    "It''s okay, my children," she cooed, softly rubbing their backs.

    Nexi ran to her mother and cried even more since the orcs wanted to take her with them. The sight of those creatures scared her so much that she was trembling in her mother''s embrace. The queen walked to one of the orcs and stooped to its height.

    "Avotum Vexeo," she uttered.

    A blue blast of small waves emerged from her right hand. She glared at the orc.

    "You better tell me who sent you."

    The orc wiggled, trying to escape from the queen. She clicked her tongue in irritation.

    "This spell drains the life of whoever is targeted," she explained, the small waves becoming bigger, "You. Better. Speak. Up."

    The orc snarled. Infuriated, the queen blasted it with her waves. The orc shrieked, piercing the air with its scream. Getting up, the queen walked to another orc, but it also refused to speak. The same thing occurred repeatedly; the orcs refused to reveal who sent them, and the queen drained their life.

    When she went to the last orc, she was fuming. Morvin and Naida watched their mother in silence, Keya standing by their side. Nexi and her mother watched the queen crouched to the orc''s level. The queen released a long sigh and cleared her throat.

    "I''m guessing you also don''t intend to tell me," she said, staring intensely into the orc''s deep red eyes.

    The orc gulped, beads of sweat running down its face. He was afraid of dying, but knowing that there was no escaping his current situation, he began to speak.

    "It doesn''t matter who sent us," it growled, "you are no match for him."

    "Him?" the queen asked.

    The orc began to laugh hysterically. Everyone watched silently as the queen placed her hand on the orc, draining its life. Red blood stained the ground. Naida hugged her brother, burying her face in his chest due to the brutality she had witnessed. Her brother stroked her hair, calming her down, although he was also horrified and occasionally trembled.

    When the orc''s life force was drained, she stood up, dusting some dirt off her dress. As she began to walk towards her children, a small stave of exclusive brass struck her back and immediately vanished. Since it came at such an unbelievable speed, she had no time to shield herself. She cried out in pain and fell to the ground.

    "Mother!" Naida yelled, running to her mother''s side.

    "Mother. No," she breathed out.

    Morvin crouched next to his sister, holding his mother''s hands.. She touched the spot where the stave had struck her mother and, to her horror, felt warm blood trickle down her mother''s back.

 Chapter 13 - Dangerous Encounter Part 3

    Nexi and her mother rushed to the queen''s side.

    "Isn''t there anything you can do to help her? Some healing spell? Anything?" her mother pleadingly asked Keya.

    "I''m sorry, but I do not have any healing powers," the elf replied, crouching beside Morvin.

    "Unfortunately, it seems the stave was cast using a forbidden spell which would forbid a weak creature like myself from healing her."

    Naida wailed aloud, begging anyone to do something. Anything to stop her mother''s now excessive bleeding.

    "We need to get out of here this instant," Nexi''s mother said.

    Suddenly, another stave was cast their way. However, she saw it coming and that it was aimed at her daughter. There would be no time to block it due to its lightning speed. She hugged Nexi, preventing the stave from being plunged into her daughter. She whimpered at the electrifying sensation of the stave going through her body and fell to the ground.

    "No!" Nexi cried out.

    She placed her hands on her mother''s wound in an effort to stop the bleeding.

    Keya scanned the area but could not sense where the staves were coming from or who was casting them. All she knew was that she had to get herself and the children away from this place and back to the safety of the palace. This situation was too much for them to handle alone, especially with no guards to help them. It was clear that the caster of the staves was much stronger than her and the orcs.

    "Do not worry," she assured the children, "I''m gonna get us out of here. I''ll also save your parents."

    "Please do, Keya. Please," Nexi begged in despair.

    "Oblitem Telepor-"

    The elf was interrupted by the appearance of a figure fully covered by black smoke. The queen and Nexi''s mother attempted to stand up. No matter how hurt and weak they felt or how much blood they were currently losing, their motherly instinct to protect their children were on high alert.

    "Keya," the queen said with a raspy voice, "take the children and teleport back to the palace this instant."

    "But my queen," Keya said, "we can still save both of you if we teleport together."

    "There is no time! Whatever this thing is, it could follow us back to the palace. I cannot allow that. Now, hurry and go! Get help and try to get ahold of the King. Nexi''s mother and I will try to hold this thing off," the queen said, her body trembling in pain.

    As much as the queen hated Nexi''s mother, she needed her help to keep this monster away from the palace and their children. The elf hesitantly nodded at the queen''s request.

    "Oblitem Teleportus," she said.

    She and the children were teleported back to the palace.

    "No, Keya!" Morvin yelled.

    "We have to go back! My mother is not well. We have to go save her."

    The green-haired elf summoned the guards and ran to grab the palace telephone. She continuously dialed the king''s number, but he was unreachable.

    "Bloody hell," she muttered, frustration and anxiety clearly evident on her face.

    She ran to the children and, reassuringly smiling at each of them to calm them, instructed them to stay in the palace with the guards and keep phoning their father. Under no circumstances were they allowed to step foot outside the palace, not until she came back with their parents or until the king came back.

    "Guards! Make sure you guard them and find ways to communicate with the king. He needs to get here as soon as possible."

    The children silently cried.

    "The rest of you," she told the other guards, "follow me."

    With that, she teleported herself and the guards back to where the queen and Nexi''s mother were. Nexi''s mother was barely managing to keep her body conscious as she began to feel weak. The queen was not doing too well. She also felt weak and fell to the ground.

    The guards ran towards the smoke figure to fight. Seeing that figure was distracted, Keya took the chance to run to the queen''s side and move her a few feet away from the ensuing battle. She did the same to Nexi''s mother.

    "We have to get out of here this instant," she told them both.

    "Pathetic," the black smoke mocked, flinging some guards in the air and covering them with black smoke, which caused their bodies to vanish.

    The guards'' weapons and armour were all that was left, which fell to the ground with a loud thud. Keya hurriedly cast the teleportation spell but found herself unable to teleport back to the palace. The black-smoked figure clicked its tongue in annoyance.

    "As if I''d let you do that, little elf," it said with a menacing aura.

    It sauntered towards them. Smoky tentacles shot out of its body, grabbing the remaining guards. It covered them with the smoke, again leaving no trace of their bodies. The elf groaned as she was bound by its tentacle and struggled to free herself. She needed to save the queen for Naida and Morvin''s sake. She needed to save Nexi''s mother too.

    "Please let us go," she begged.

    The figure smirked, binding its tentacles around the queen and Nexi''s mother. At this point, they were unconscious and barely moving. Their bodies started turning pale as their magical force was being drained by the tentacles.

    "No! Please stop!"

    The tentacles disappeared, and, like the guards, there was no trace of the queen or Nexi''s mother left except for their clothes and jewellery. Tears rolled down the elf''s eyes, heartbroken at the loss of the two women. The figure crouched in front of her, reaching for her face. Keya backed away in fear, and it smirked at her action.

    "You listen to me, little elf, and convey this message to your king. This is what happens when you mess with me. Nothing and no one can defeat me. Well, except for that young girl possessing the Silver Ocean."

    The elf stared at the figure, still unable to move.

    "That child is my biggest threat and will be my biggest weakness in the future. I was planning on getting rid of her today, but those women, including yourself, ruined my plan. Those darn orcs were useless as well, letting the child escape."

    Her heart was thumping, and a part of her felt like she was having a nightmare she wanted to wake up from.

    ''No, I must be dreaming. There is no way this is happening. This is just a nightmare.''

    "Tell your king that I will do whatever it takes to get that girl, and whoever stands in my way will not live."

    The smokey figure disappeared in a flash. The elf cried, running to the clothes of the women who were now gone from this world. Her head felt dizzy, and her mind went blank. All she could do was weep as she pressed the clothes tightly to her chest.

    "No, no, no, no," she kept repeating.

    ''This can''t be happening.''

    (Author''s note: The incident reveal is now over.)

 Chapter 14 - The Smoke Monster And Cosmo X

    Astoria watched as the images disappeared, and Keya wiped the tears that had been making their way down her cheeks. She was utterly speechless at everything she had just watched. She had no idea that the princess witnessed such a terrible thing, let alone lived with such trauma.

    "The king was only able to arrive the next day," the elf told her.

    "He would have come to the palace earlier, but he told me that on the same day, as they were wrapping up the conference, black smoke surrounded the entire building interior and exterior, blocking off all entrances. There was also no phone signal, and no one was able to cast a spell no matter how hard they tried or how powerful they were."

    "Was the black smoke the same as the one that attacked us?" She asked the elf, to which she nodded.

    "Yes, when the king described and mentioned how it had tentacles, I knew that it was the same thing creature that attacked us. I showed him my memories of what transpired that day, and he looked so heartbroken as he watched."

    Astoria stared at the ceiling. Nexi was probably hated by her siblings since that day because the orcs, and that black smoke, just wanted her. They probably believed that no harm would have occurred to their mother if Nexi had gone with the orcs. That may be why they blame her for their mother''s death.

    That was very sad for her to conclude as it must have been hard for the princess to remain so cheerful. Could it then be possible that another suspect of what led to her getting amnesia was that smokey figure? Is it possible that it has come back to find her and maybe kill her?

    "Um, Keya," she said, her mind trying to put two and two together.

    "Has the Smoke Monster ever come back to harm my family or me?"

    "Smoke Monster?" the elf asked, confused.

    "Yes, the smokey figure. We''ll just call it the Smoke Monster for now. Anyway, has it?"

    "Oh well, not that I''m aware of. No one has seen it ever since that day, although others state that they did, but all those sightings were confirmed to be false."

    "Ah, I see," Astoria muttered.

    ''So the Smoke Monster may be alive, but why has it been silent for all these years? Was it planning something big? If Nexi has the power to destroy it, she may seriously be in danger.''

    No wonder Nexi had her own personal maid who had some form of magical power to protect her. It could also be the reason why the king was so protective of her. He is scared that she will disappear, just like his wife and her mother. When Keya noticed that the princess was deep in thought, she softly spoke.

    "Nexi," she said, "no matter what your siblings say, what happened that day was, and is, not your fault. You did not choose to be given the power of the Silver Ocean; the Goddess bestowed it to you. There''s a reason for her choosing you."

    She stared at the elf.

    ''How can someone be so kind?''

    No wonder she found that Nexi perceived Keya as a mother figure and protector. She was also beginning to adore this elf. Keya reminded her of Officer Stan, a man that was always on her side no matter what rumours other officers spread about her.

    "Thank you, Keya," she said, a smile plastered on her face.

    "You should get some sleep now," Keya told her.

    "Oh yes. Of course."

    She hugged her pillow tightly.

    "Do I have any classes tomorrow?"

    Keya abruptly sat up, stunned by her question.

    "What? Why are you looking so stunned?"

    "You are unwell. You should get some rest first and then-," Keya was interrupted.

    "No, I need to get back on my feet and hit the books. Besides, I''ve been in bed for days now. This amnesia has made me forget how to cast spells and such."

    Keya frowned, but upon looking at Astoria, who had a puppy face expression plastered on her face, she nodded.

    "Fine," she resigned, "I''ll make sure to get your uniform ready before breakfast."

    "Yes, thank you- "

    "But," the elf interrupted her.

    "You have to make sure you tell your father about this, although I am not so sure he''ll allow it."

    Astoria nodded enthusiastically.

    "Yes, ma''am," she saluted with a tiny laugh.

    She needed to go to the Academy as soon as possible and start learning how to cast spells. How else would she survive against an evil force like the Smoke Monster? She had to know at least one powerful spell so that she could protect herself. She was not planning on dying in this world.

    It was definitely not something she wanted. She needed to learn magic and figure out how to get back to her world. She had a job to finish in her world, which was finding out who the chairman of Cosmo X was and taking him and the company down for good.

    The only thing she was certainly sure of was that the man who calls himself the ''chairman'' of the company was NOT the real chairman or boss of the company. He was more of a stand-in and could fool the rest of the world, but he could never fool Astoria Chambers. The day she met him, she asked him questions which any chairman would intelligently answer.

    Still, this so-called chairman stuttered when he replied to every question. She even mixed up a famous quote with another quote, which most business moguls knew, to test if he would correct her. The fraudster did not correct her. Instead, he was smiling like a fool and mumbling, "Yes, yes, that man did say that. It is one of my favourite quotes."

    "Yeah, right," she mumbled sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

    "What?" Keya asked, thinking that she was speaking to her.

    "Oh!" she said, realising that she was thinking out loud.

    "It''s nothing. Anyway, goodnight, Keya," she told the elf.

    "Goodnight," Keya replied and clapped her hands, thus turning all the lights off in the room.

 Chapter 15 - Persuasion Skills: Activated

    Astoria woke up to the sound of an alarm ringing loudly as if it was ringing in her head. She groaned, not wanting to get up. Yesterday''s reveal from Keya had worn her out, and she barely slept a wink, wondering if she would end up dying in this world. Wondering if that Smoke Monster would show up at any moment and kill her.

    ''Damn, that means I would die twice.''

    She got up from her bed and did some stretches. Sighing, she saw that the elf had already left and that a school uniform was hung neatly next to her dresser. She hummed the song ''Sign of the Times'' as she walked to it. The uniform was not too bad. She actually loved it.

    "I can''t believe I have to go to school again."

    She ran her fingers along the blazer pockets. She was always an intelligent student, but her situation was not the same now. This time, she had to study subjects she had never heard of before or even imagined she would learn. Would she be able to do it? Would she succeed? Well, she was determined to do so.

    "I hope I make it today."

    She stared at the uniform with a nervous expression. The uniform for students at Leararts Academy was elegant. Male students wore narrow-fitting, black nylon pants which reached down to their feet. They wore lace-up shoes, which were coloured black and paired with short socks coloured white with one stripe horizontally placed on the top.

    They wore white short-sleeved shirts which loosely hung over their pants under a black blazer that had a thick maroon thread outlining it. A thin maroon tie with black diagonal lines hung neatly in the middle of their blazers.

    As for the female students, they wore black pleated skirts which reached just above their knees. They were paired with long socks and Mary Jane shoes coloured in white and black, respectively. Like the males, the females wore short-sleeved white shirts. However, theirs were neatly tucked under their skirts.

    All the blazers were emblazoned with the school logo, which was a blue flame. Although it was not compulsory, many students wore uniform matching accessories which was often done through forms of group association.

    "Wait a minute."

    She suddenly realised something as she was making her bed.

    ''The alarm stopped, but I didn''t stop it. I don''t even see any alarm clock anywhere? Is it a magic alarm?''

    As she was wondering how that was possible, she heard a knock on the door.

    "Come in."

    Keya walked in and hurriedly rushed to her side.

    "No, my prince- I mean Nexi," she said, moving her aside.

    "I always make your bed. You hurry and get yourself ready. Breakfast will be ready in 30 minutes."

    She gently ushered her away from her bed. Astoria smiled and walked into the bathroom. She came out minutes later, covered in a towel, and found that the elf had neatly placed her uniform on her bed. Smiling, she got dressed and walked back into the bathroom.

    "What do I do about this hair?"

    She blankly stared at her hair and decided to tie it into a high ponytail. Walking out of the bathroom, she stood by the full-length mirror and saw her reflection. She really loved the uniform and smiled. Walking out of her room, feeling like a student again, she found the elf waiting for her patiently.

    "Let''s get you to breakfast," Keya said, then looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

    "Where is your bag?" she asked Astoria.

    "Oh, right! Wait a minute," Astoria said, rushing back to her room.

    She found the bag on top of the wardrobe.

    ''Do I have everything I need? What do I actually need anyway?''

    She unzipped her bag and took a look inside. To her relief, she found that the elf had already packed everything she needed for today. With a sigh of happiness, she walked out of her bedroom and hugged the elf. Keya''s eyes widened like saucers, shocked by the gesture. She let go of the elf and smiled.

    "Let''s go and have breakfast," she said, walking away from the elf, humming a happy tune.

    The elf looked confused but shrugged, walking by her side. When they got to breakfast, they found that everyone was already seated. Keya bowed to everyone and walked away, closing the door behind her.

    "What the?" Astoria heard Morvin say.

    The silver-haired boy looked at her puzzled. Naida glanced at her and then her father.

    "Why are you in your school uniform?" her father asked.

    "Ah, about that," she stammered.

    She remembered that she had to convince the king to let her go to the Academy. It was a must, and she had to get his approval no matter what.

    ''Persuasion skills activated.''

    Taking a deep breath and releasing it, she rushed to the king''s side, placed her hands on his arm, and tried to look as innocent and cute as possible.

    "Father," she began.

    Naida and Morvin stared at her in shock.

    "Please let me go to the Academy as of today. I promise I will be careful. I won''t strain myself," she said, a hopeful look on her face.

    "But you are not well," the king countered.

    "Father, please. I believe that if I go, I might remember something. I''m tired of not being able to remember," she turned her face to the side.

    "Besides," she continued, trying to sound as sad and downcast as possible, "I feel so miserable and like a burden to you all. You don''t want me to feel this way forever, right?"

    She studied the king, a pout evident on her face. The king sighed and stroked her hair, a fatherly smile on his face.

    "Fine," he said, causing her to smile triumphantly, "but do not strain yourself. As soon as you start feeling unwell, phone Keya right away. She will tell the chauffeur to fetch you."

    She nodded and went to sit down, smiling at her accomplishment and feeling proud of herself. Naida softly scoffed at her and began eating. When they were done eating, the older siblings went to pack their bags. They met Astoria outside the palace gates.

    "This world has cars?" Astoria softly questioned, mystified.

    "What? Haven''t you seen a car before?" Naida scoffed again as she sat at the front seat.

    "Did amnesia make you stupid as well?" Morvin added, following behind his sister, sitting at the back.

    Astoria ignored them. She had no idea cars were used in this world. The last time she saw that this royal family used a carriage to go to town, she was pretty surprised that there were cars in this world now. She thought that they would use magic to teleport or fly to the Academy.

    ''But then again, that was a long time ago, and times have changed.''

    She sat at the back with the prince. The chauffeur closed the door and got inside. The drive to the Academy was a 10-minute drive. Along the way, she stared out the window to view the outside and got to see a lot of creatures.

    It was really fascinating that so many different creatures co-existed in this world. The car drove past a vast, black iron gate hinged to a large, apricot coloured wall. The gate worked conventionally, moving inwards. Since it opened wide, it could accommodate large vehicles.

    ''Wow.''

    She saw the view of the Academy from the back seat of their car.. It was truly magnificent and breathtaking.

 Chapter 16 - Welcome To Leararts Academy

    The chauffeur stopped in front of the academy and stepped out of the car to open their doors. With a little bow, the chauffeur said, "Enjoy your day, sir and ladies." He got back in the car and drove off. Astoria stared at the academy. There was no way that the school fees of this academy were cheap. Everything from the outside looked expensive, and she could not imagine what the inside would look like.

    There were several single silver chairs placed all over the academy. Each of them had its own small square table for either a single or a small number of students. There were also large square tables with some chairs placed around them for larger groups of students. Morvin stared at her, his expression sour, and whispered to his sister.

    "Is it really a good idea for her to come to the academy in this state? I mean, look at her."

    He pointed at his younger sister. Naida shrugged as she stared at Astoria''s fascinated face in mute silence. Clearly, the younger sister was taken aback by the appearance of the academy and how high-class it was.

    "I don''t care what happens to her. Father gave her permission to attend the academy again, so whatever happens to her is not my business," Naida said after a minute, arms crossed.

    They both began to walk away, and Astoria followed behind them.

    "Hey!" she heard Naida exclaim, bitterness evident in her voice.

    She bumped into the purple-haired princess, blinking multiple times at the sudden collision.

    "We''re not in the same class, so stop following us," Naida told her, rolling her eyes.

    "Oh, right. I kinda forgot."

    She smiled sheepishly, causing the princess to roll her eyes yet again.

    "So, where is my class?" she asked the purple-haired princess.

    "As if I care. You figure it out, Miss Silver Ocean bearer," the princess said, walking away from them.

    He cheekily winked at Astoria and rushed to his sister''s side.

    Astoria clicked her tongue in irritation as she watched their figures disappear.

    "I ought to slap the both of you," she grumbled, fisting her hand at them.

    She sighed, opened her bag, found her timetable, and saw that her class was Room 340. After walking around for about five minutes and asking other students who gawked at her, completely bewildered for some unknown reason. They helped her, and she eventually located her class.

    "Room 340," she read as she stared at the silver-plated number placed on the thick purple door.

    Taking a deep breath and letting it out, she braced herself in case she saw creatures that would freak her out. Other students walked past her and wondered why she was just staring at the door.

    ''Here goes.''

    She opened the door and was almost shocked at what she had witnessed. There were humans in the classroom, but over their heads were the names of the kind of creatures they were. For example, when she looked at a brown-haired boy standing by the window, red floating letters that read ''Gargoyle'' were on top of his head. Her eyes widened as she stared at the gargoyle student standing in the middle of the classroom, speaking to another student.

    ''That''s a gargoyle?''

    She was utterly amused. The class was quite lively, and there were a few empty seats at the back. Standing by the door, unsure of what to do or where to go, her gaze swept at the different students in the room. No student paid any attention to her as they were all focused on their deep conversations.

    ''Where the hell is my seat? Do I just sit anywhere?''

    She heard the sound of the door opening behind her, moved to the side, and saw five students enter.

    ''Fairy, centaur, ghost, troll, and witch.''

    She internally read the names above their heads as the students entered the class and took their seats. She continued to awkwardly stand next to the door, silently praying that the teacher would arrive so that she could feel at ease and maybe get some help with the whole sitting arrangement thing.

    It was as if the Goddess had answered her prayer because the teacher arrived a minute later. The teacher was beautiful beyond words. She was a pure selkie. The teacher had white, short hair which hung over her round face. Shining green eyes, watched over the class and then landed on her.

    She was dressed in a simple yet elegant purple suit. There was something rather captivating about her; perhaps it was her contagious smile. Nonetheless, the class suddenly kept quiet, and all the students rushed to take their seats.

    "Princess Nexi," she said in pure delight, a bright Colgate smile on her face.

    "Follow me outside so we can have a little chat."

    She whispered the last part. Astoria followed her, entirely captivated by her appearance and the pure aura she was radiating.

    "I am Mrs. Lilmai," she said, snapping her out of her almost trance-like state.

    "However, the students call me Mrs. Mai for some odd reason. Not that I''m complaining, I kinda like it."

    Mrs. Lilmai gleefully chuckled. Astoria nodded, her high ponytail lightly bouncing in the process. She smiled at the teacher and thought to herself how scarily captivating the Merfolk could be when they trap you with their beauty. This selkie was truly beautiful, and when she laughed, she radiated a bright aura. Now she understood why sailors always ended up following sirens, mermaids, and the like.

    "Your father, the king, told me what happened," the white-haired selkie said, reassuringly rubbing her hand on Astoria''s back.

    "Don''t worry about a single thing. Only the teachers and the principal know of your amnesia. We decided not to tell the students as we don''t know what they might do to you with that kind of information since you know how some students can be so mischievous."

    Astoria smiled and let out a sigh of relief. She really did not want the students to know of her condition. It would make her already complicated life even more complicated.

    "Your seat is at the back, the one on the right, which is next to the window. If you need anything, anything at all, don''t hesitate to let me know. Alright, Nexi dear?"

    "Yes, thank you so much, Mrs. Lilmai," she replied, feeling relieved that she had such a kind homeroom teacher.

    With that, they entered the class, and she walked to her seat. The fairy she had seen earlier smiled at her. She smiled back, looked out the window, and saw some students walking to the running track in tracksuits. They were preparing to have PE.

    "Hey, Nexi," she heard a female voice to her right.

    Turning her head, she saw that it was the female fairy student. She had a small, cute face with red, short hair with bangs. Her light green eyes watched Astoria, a grin on her face. This was the face of Laurelai Summermint, one of Nexi''s best friends and the princess of the Summer Faery Court.

    "Hey," Astoria greeted back.

    "Hmm? What''s with the weak greeting?" the fairy responded, tilting her head.

    "Ah, it''s nothing," Astoria quickly said, frantically waving her hands in the air.

    "Um, okay then. Anyway, I, Laurelai, missed you so much. Honestly, two weeks felt like an eternity without you here," the fairy said, her hand fisted on her heart to express how much she missed her best friend.

    Mrs. Lilmai cleared her throat loudly to indicate that she wanted them to be quiet. The fairy looked at the teacher, mouthing a "Sorry". A shy smile was plastered on her face. According to the diary, this fairy was one of Nexi''s best friends. The other best friend had to transfer to another academy in another kingdom because his father was given a high-paying job there.

    "I''ll now be taking attendance," Mrs. Lilmai stated.

    "Make sure I hear your beautiful voices saying "Here" when I call out your name."

 Chapter 17 - Magic History

    "Yes," the students replied in unison.

    Mrs. Lilmai smiled and opened the attendance register, a red pen in her left hand. Astoria paid attention to the names of the students. She took note of who to avoid in the class for some apparent reasons. She also learned that the gargoyle she had seen earlier was known as Davitt.

    He was part of Leararts Academy''s School Council and the class president. That explained why the students listened to him so quickly. Well, some of the students. Remember the four students who later entered the class together with Laurelai? They were known as the troublemakers of the academy. She made sure to make a mental note to avoid them at all costs.

    "Nexi. Nexi. Nexi?" the teacher repeated, calling out her name for attendance.

    She found herself in a daze as she kept getting distracted by those four students who wouldn''t keep their voices down. At some point, the teacher and Davitt had stopped asking them to stay quiet and just let them do whatever they wanted.

    "Nexi?" the teacher repeated again, looking up from the attendance register.

    "H-here! Sorry, I can''t hear you with the noise back here," she said, emphasising the word ''noise'' so that those students could hear.

    Her temper and irritation got the better of her, and her remark on the noise level caused the centaur and ghost student to scoff and glare at her.

    ''Well, so much for avoiding them at all costs. Your temper got the best of you, yet again. Great job, Astoria Chambers.''

    She internally facepalmed. The teacher nodded and continued with the attendance. At the end of the attendance, she learned that the noisy students who were the centaur, ghost, troll, and witch, and was supposed to avoid, were called Arampos, Misty, Laojin, and Alexa, respectively.

    "Okay, looks like everyone is here today. Nexi, it''s great to have you back," Mrs. Lilmai said, a grin on her face.

    She smiled and nodded. With that, the teacher left, and the class started chatting again.

    "So, Nexi," she heard Misty speak, "you have a problem with us being noisy?"

    She ignored the ghost student, not even the slightest bit afraid that she might get angry and do something like flip her table or whatever it was that ghosts could do in this world.

    "Nexi, I''m thrilled to have you back. I know that I''ve said that already, but I''m just so happy. I''ve been so bored without you here, especially since Brady left," the fairy quickly chimed in, an attempt to stop anything terrible from happening between the princess and Misty.

    "I wonder how he''s doing? Anyway, you also came just in time since we have our third assignment coming up in a week," she continued, "I wonder what we will be assigned to do. I wonder if it''s a quest. How many students do you think will be assigned to the assignment?"

    "I don''t-"

    "Hmm, maybe four if it''s a quest assignment or it could be an individual assignment. Goddess, I hope not. Nexi, I want some excitement in my life, so I really hope it''s a quest. My father prohibits me from doing so much," she cut Astoria off, her hands moving frantically as she spoke.

    Misty glared at the fairy, who stopped her discussion with Astoria but let her anger subside. The ghost was not in the mood to fight today. Astoria smiled at the fairy''s attempt to save her from a heated confrontation with Misty. She understood that this cute fairy was definitely talkative, easygoing, friendly, and trying to rescue her from not just confronting Misty but the other troublemakers too. She blankly stared at the chalkboard.

    "You''re really adorable and nice," she softly uttered to herself.

    This caused the fairy to stop talking mid-sentence, her mouth wide open in shock and confusion.

    "Ah, you heard that?" she asked the fairy, her hand covering her mouth.

    She did not mean for the fairy to hear her. Laurelai nodded. Her face was as red as a tomato, and it did not help that her hair was a red colour too. The fairy does not take compliments very well as she becomes a red-faced fairy whenever she is complimented. It is a force of habit she gave up on trying to control.

    "Hey, Nexi. You know you can''t marry me, right?" the fairy joked, batting her eyelashes and causing her to softly laugh.

    "Well, that''s too bad," she responded, pursing her lips.

    They both laughed, and a male teacher walked into the class. He was a wizard, and when she took out her timetable, she saw that he was the teacher for their first class, Magic History. Before, she never looked forward to history as she was never a fan of the subject in school, but things were different now.

    This was not like the typical history she knew. It was Magic History. This would help her get a sense of the history of magic in this Kingdom and maybe other kingdoms. She would definitely be taking notes.

    "Please stand," Davitt instructed as the teacher stood by the chalkboard.

    The students stood up.

    "Greet the teacher," he continued.

    "Good morning, Mr. Shawix," the class greeted in unison, Astoria mumbling her greeting as she didn''t know or remember his name yet.

    "Good morning, class," he greeted back, "you may take your seats."

    The class sat and began taking out their textbooks. Astoria took hers out, together with a book to take notes. When she opened the notebook, she found that Nexi had beautiful handwriting. Her notes were simple and easy to understand.

    She made a mental note to read some of Nexi''s notes when she returned to the palace. Mr. Shawix had stated that today''s lesson was based on different types of magic sources found in the various kingdoms.

    "On page 108," he began, "we see a magic source which comes from the Eternal Fountain. This magic is found in the Kingdom of Nirean. Different magical energies are said to pulse from the Eternal Fountain. These spread into the Kingdom, enhancing all life forms within it."

    Mr. Shawix pointed at Laojin, the troll student.

    "You there," he said, staring at Laojin, "has a war ever broken out in Nirean in the past thousand years?"

    Laojin was baffled at the question as he looked in his textbook for an answer. Sadly, the answer was not in the text. He asked himself how he was supposed to know such a thing. It''s not like he was born a thousand years ago.

    "Um, yes?" he replied, unsure of the answer he was giving.

    "Are you asking me or telling me?" the teacher asked him.

    "Sorry," was all the troll could mumble.

    The teacher smiled and held the textbook in his hand, beginning to walk around the classroom.

    "Do take note of this class as this part is not found in your textbook," he said as he casually passed each student.

    "It is known that no war has ever broken out of the Kingdom of Nirean because of the power of the Eternal Fountain. The reason for this is because the Kingdom has a peaceful balance between itself and nature."

    She found that quite fascinating, and she listened attentively, taking notes of everything he was saying.

    "This is because," the teacher continued, walking back to the chalkboard, "all the beings rely on the same source for their magic. The surrounding areas of Nirean have also become quite popular as a destination for pilgrimage-like journeys or if you, like me, just want to enjoy the beauty of nature."

    "Wow, that''s amazing," she said aloud, causing every student to turn around and face her.

 Chapter 18 - Only Competitive

    Her eyes widened as she realised she was thinking out loud.

    "Sorry," she softly said.

    The teacher resumed, causing the students to pay attention to him again. Well, the students pretended to pay attention. Some were falling asleep.

    "Yes, it is amazing," he said with a smile on his face, delighted that at least one of his students was enjoying his lesson.

    The rest of the lesson went by quickly as she was very focused on her note-taking. When the teacher had left after the lesson ended, the students stood up and walked to the back of the class, where their lockers were placed. They had to change into their PE uniform. She groaned softly as she walked to the back, mainly because she was not in the right state of mind for any physical activities, at least that was according to her deductions.

    "Oh, cheer up, Nexi," she heard her say as the fairy gave her a light pat on the shoulder.

    "PE isn''t so bad. Well, at least for me. You," the fairy stared her up and down, "you, on the other hand, are different."

    She sighed at the fairy''s remark and guessed that Nexi was not as physically fit as she was. This was probably one of the subjects the princess hated the most. When she stood by her locker, she smiled as she was delighted to find that the locker had Nexi''s name written on it, so she was able to find it easily. However, her smile quickly vanished when she saw that the locker had a password in the form of numbers.

    "Great," she said sarcastically.

    The fairy''s locker was on her right. She wondered if the fairy knew what Nexi''s locker password was. It would help her a lot if she did know, but it could also cause her to have a problem. It was not like she could just ask the fairy, "Hey, do you know the password to my locker? I kinda forgot." The red-haired fairy would be suspicious about why she doesn''t know the password to her own locker.

    This was all because no one knew about her amnesia except the teachers, and it''s not like she does not want to tell the fairy. She just cannot afford to let anyone know right now. Not until she has reliable information on who she can trust.

    "Hurry up, Nexi," the fairy said, taking out her PE uniform and waiting for her.

    "The whole class has left, and you''ve been staring at your locker for like two minutes now. We are gonna be late," she added.

    Astoria began to think of what Nexi''s password would be. Based on the current information she knows, her deductions led her to believe that it may not be related to her father. However, it could be the day her mother passed away or maybe...

    "Okay, I got it," she finally said, guessing that the password was the princess'' birthday.

    The fairy thought that she was responding to her, but she was saying how she might have an idea of the password. She slowly pressed her fingers on the numbers, her heart beating loudly and a bit of anxiety evident on her face. The fairy did not think anything of her best friend''s facial expression. After a few seconds, the locker opened.

    "Yes," she said, a triumphant smile on her face.

    ''So, the password really was Nexi''s birthday.''

    Why the princess had such an easy password that anyone would know was beyond her.

    "This girl seriously needs to reconsider changing her password. Honestly, it''s too easy," she said.

    Before the fairy could respond to her, she quickly took out the uniform. She headed for the bathroom, the fairy following behind her with a calculative look. They quickly changed into the uniform and headed to the track field, which she noticed was massive.

    Actually, the whole academy was massive. When one entered the academy, they would feel like they have suddenly entered another city. She put her hands in her pockets and stood next to the class president.

    "Hi," she casually greeted him.

    The president smiled at her, revealing his perfectly aligned teeth.

    "Hi," he responded.

    "Hi, class president," the fairy chimed in, softly grinning.

    "If it''s about the homework that you still owe Miss Owonia," he said, raising his palm towards her face, "then no. I''m not letting you copy it."

    "But we have her next period, and I was so busy last night that-"

    "Not my problem," he told her, cutting her off.

    The fairy pouted. She watched the scene unfold and found out something interesting. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at them. With her analytical skills, she came to the conclusion that these two were secretly dating. Either that or they have a huge crush on each other, but none of them wants to admit it. Maybe she was reading their interaction too deeply, but her hunch has never been wrong.

    "Good day, class," a male voice greeted.

    The students turned to face the man. This man was huge, bulky, and buff, and he looked like he belonged in the military, not here as a PE teacher. The students greeted back. He was Mr. Vlakos, a giant. His height was that of five tall people standing on each other''s shoulders. Her mouth was wide open as she was fascinated by the creature in front of her.

    "Today, I want to test your stamina again," he began, flipping through the pages on his clipboard.

    The students grumbled.

    "Two months ago, I recorded the time you each took to run a full lap around the field. Some results were excellent. Others," he said, ignoring their continuous grumbling and staring at one particular student who was a half-elf, "were not so excellent."

    The half-elf blushed in embarrassment. Mr. Vlakos began reading out the order the students would take when they had to run their lap. Laurelai''s record was at six minutes and forty-eight seconds, while the class president was at five minutes and twenty-one seconds. They currently had the best records in the class.

    ''Now that is super impressive considering how big this track field is.''

    The problem was that Nexi''s record was the second worst one, twenty-five minutes and thirty-two seconds. The half-elf had the worst record, sitting at twenty-five minutes and fifty-four seconds. She had to improve Nexi''s record, and that was her plan. As the students began to run their laps in the order they were given, Astoria started to warm up.

    "Wow," Laurelai said, "someone is taking this really seriously."

    "Of course, I have to. My record is embarrassing me right now," she lied to the red-haired fairy.

    After twenty minutes of other students running and completing their turns, it was finally her turn.

    "Miss Nexi Callan," the teacher called out her name.

    She breathed out and walked to the starting position, telling herself that she did not have to try so hard. She just needed to improve the record and finish the lap in less than twenty-five minutes.

    "No need to get competitive, Astoria," she mumbled to herself, " just improve Nexi''s record."

    She has always been a competitive person. The thought of losing frustrated her, and she loved the thrill one gets from winning. That thrilling sensation always made her feel like she was on top of the world.

    "Tsk, who am I kidding?" she softly said, tightening her ponytail.

    "Let''s finish in less than ten minutes."

    Her competitive aura was fully emerging, causing the students and Mr.. Vlakos to watch with eager eyes.

 Chapter 19 - Confrontation

    With the go-ahead from the PE teacher, Nexi was off.

    "Just imagine that a vicious dog with rabies is chasing you, Astoria," she told herself, running with great speed and reaching the halfway mark at four minutes and forty-four seconds.

    All the students watched in silence, their mouths agape. They were all wondering if this was the same Nexi Callan they all knew.

    "Okay, now that we are at the halfway mark, this time pretend that you have finally found the real boss of Cosmo X, and you are chasing him down."

    Her speed doubled, causing all the students to let out different reactions.

    "What the fu-" one student said in total disbelief at what he was seeing.

    "Language!" the teacher yelled, cutting the student off.

    The student quickly apologised. A few seconds passed, and Astoria reached the finish line at five minutes and thirty-six seconds, beating the fairy''s record and earning herself the title of second place. She was panting heavily as this was the fifth time she''s ever pushed herself to run this hard. Plus, Nexi''s body was not as fit as hers so this really strained her.

    The other four times was when she was chasing down criminals who were somehow great runners. Well, it was expected since criminals love running from the police. After one last short and quick breathing exercise, she turned to face the giant. With a bit of a strained smile on her face, she asked the teacher how she did.

    "I..." Mr. Vlakos was speechless.

    Laurelai came rushing to her side, holding her shoulders and shaking her excitedly.

    "Nexi, how did you? What was that? I''m pretty sure you beat my record," she said aloud, her voice showing signs of astonishment.

    "Will you stop shaking me, please? I feel like I''m gonna puke," Astoria''s said, covering her mouth.

    "Ah, right. Sorry. I was just overly shocked and astonished. You, princess, are amazing," the fairy said, patting Astoria''s shoulders.

    "Well," the giant teacher chimed in, " you came in at five minutes and thirty-six seconds, thus beating your friend, Miss Summermint."

    He looked at the fairy and then addressed the whole class.

    "Okay, now we''re gonna do some full body exercises to get your weak bodies in shape. Remember, the stronger your body, the greater your magic energy force," he said.

    Time passed by, and Astoria enjoyed every aspect of PE. Perhaps it was because the exercises or things they did were similar to what she did at the Police Academy of Leadville. Oh, it brought back such wonderful memories. This put her in a great mood. When they went to the bathrooms to shower and change into their uniforms, she found herself humming in the shower.

    "Hey, what class do we have now?'' she asked Laurelai, who was busy packing her bags to go to her next class.

    They were now in their homeroom class, fetching their textbooks for their next three subjects.

    "We?" the fairy asked, adjusting the straps of her bag.

    Astoria nodded and wondered if she said something wrong.

    "Baby," the fairy began, "we don''t have the same class now. I have Foreign Plant Science in Room 142, and while you have Foreign Political Science in Room 532."

    She pointed to her timetable, which was in her hand.

    "And you better start getting ready cause your teacher is super strict. I''m off, and I''ll see you in the cafeteria for lunch at our usual spot," she added and left.

    Astoria groaned.

    "You have got to be kidding me. I hate politics so much."

    She checked her timetable and saw that she really did have Foreign Political Science. She quickly took out the relevant textbooks and put them in her bag. It was better for her to leave now before the bell rang as she knew that she would waste time asking other students for directions later.

    As she reached the door, she was stopped by Alexa, the witch, standing in front of the door, arms crossed, and a look of distaste on her face. Alexa completely blocked her path but let other students pass. When all the students left, excluding Alexa''s gang, they stood around Astoria as the witch closed the door.

    "What''s this about? What do you want?" she asked the witch, who just ''tsked'' in irritation.

    There was a long and uncomfortable silence which Arampos, the centaur, finally broke.

    "Why did you rat us out like that when Mrs. Lilmai was checking the attendance?" he asked.

    "You have got to be kidding," Astoria mumbled, not believing that she was going to be late to her next class just because this gang of troublemakers caught feelings.

    "Well," she said, trying to sound as polite as possible because her temper was starting to grow, "first of all, I didn''t ''rat'' you guys out, and secondly, I''m gonna be late for my next class, so please get out of my way, Alexa."

    Alexa firmly placed her hand on Astoria''s shoulder. She bent down to look at her as she was a few centimetres taller.

    "Listen here, short stuff," she began, "have you forgotten what happens when you mess with us?"

    "Well yeah," Astoria replied nonchalantly, "but I don''t have time for this."

    Quickly and swiftly, she grabbed the witch''s hand that was on her shoulder, twisted it in a not so painful way, and pushed the witch to her gang members. The witch hissed in anger. That was a move she learned at the Police Academy. With that, she quickly escaped the room and headed to her destination, which was much easier to find than her homeroom class.

    "Those retards. First it was Misty and now Alexa? Geez, leave me alone," she kept mumbling, face getting redder by the second.

    Her blood was boiling and her face was as red as a tomato. As she reached the door to her Foreign Political Science class, the bell rang, signaling the start of the period.

    "At least I''m not late," she said softly, opening the door and looking at all the faces of the new students.

    Well, they were not new to Nexi as she knows them, but they are new in Astoria''s eyes, considering the whole amnesia dilemma. She wondered where her seat was or if one could just sit anywhere they wanted. Awkwardly moving to an open seat at the back of the class, the other students stared at her. T

    hey began whispering amongst themselves. She did not know what or why they were whispering and did not pay them any attention. The teacher came in as she was about to sit on the empty chair. Placing her bag down, all the students stood up and greeted the teacher.

    She was a witch as well. Learts Academy had several teachers who were wizards and witches mainly because the academy emphasised enhancing one''s magical energy force and capabilities. This witch was an old lady with gray hair and round black eyes. She had freckles all over her face, which made her face stand out even more as she had pale skin. She smiled at the class and opened her textbook.

    "Glad to see that everyone is early for a change," she told the class.

    Just as she finished speaking, the door opened to reveal none other than the troll, Laojin, her classmate. She silently groaned as she found that there was another empty seat right next to her.

    ''Great, Laojin is probably going to harass me and bother me the whole lesson because of what I did to Alexa. Well, it won''t be just because of that.''

    She had a feeling that the troll was going to give her a hard time anyway. The troll started walking towards the empty seat at the back, sat down, and smiled eerily at her.

    "Just great," she mumbled.

 Chapter 20 - A Bothersome Bully

    "Today''s lesson will focus on the Kingdom of Bern Badir, which is ruled by the political party, Leading Motherland Party," the witch began teaching.

    Astoria opened her notebook and textbook, pen in hand, and listened.

    "Unlike Ashen, Bern Badir is not ruled by a monarchy, but by the political party, which I mentioned earlier. This kingdom is home to the centaur race. This kingdom was built amidst the green grasses of a windy meadow and is truly an ever-growing phenomenon. Its beauty is matched by the backdrop of a gentle mountain that has helped shape the kingdom into what it is today."

    "The materials these mountains brought were, and still are, of great importance. Still, the kingdom is also influential when it comes to architectural designs as the vast majority of buildings have been built with rocks from those very same mountains," she paused as she drew multiple skyscrapers on the chalkboard.

    Astoria thought that she was a great artist.

    "The skyline is riddled with stylish skyscrapers, and there''s no place in this world with anything like this. Recreation is impeccable in Bern Badir," the witch added, putting the chalk down and pointing at the skyscrapers on the chalkboard with a smile.

    "Since recreation is impeccable, it has attracted a lot of attention to the kingdom. Many different creatures have left their mark not just on business but also upon the identity of the kingdom. Historically, what was a kingdom of predictability has grown into a multicultural hub."

    "This is what unites more than two million creatures to this day. You can find hundreds of concession stands, bistros, and food carts that offer a plethora of culinary choices. Those who feel hungry for something else can enjoy theater, photography, adventure sports, or one of the many other recreational venues."

    The teacher looked around the class to see if anyone was not paying attention but was satisfied that all the students were taking down notes. Well, almost all the students. She noticed that the troll was in a daze and was staring at Astoria the whole time.

    ''Young love,'' the witch thought.

    "Now, as for the kingdom''s coat of arms," she said, turning the page of her textbook.

    "Hey," Astoria whispered, looking at the troll in irritation, "will you quit staring at me like that. It''s creepy and disturbing."

    Laojin smiled, clearly amused at the princess'' words.

    "And if I say no?"

    Astoria tsked loudly in irritation.

    "Miss Callan?"

    She heard the teacher call her and thought she was in trouble. Now she was overly irritated.

    "Would you please stand up and read the description of Bern Badir''s coat of arms to the class?" the teacher asked her.

    She was relieved to find that she was not in trouble. Standing up, she fixed her ponytail and held her textbook, and began to read with Laojin staring at her on the side.

    "Bern Badir''s coat of arms has a regular-sized shield with a symmetrical sharp and outward-pointing top and a symmetrical upward curving bottom. This is supported by an image of a centaur on each side and rests on a golden platform. A humble coronet, signifying the Leading Motherland Party, with a woolen cap and rows of precious gems decorating the outer sides, rests atop the shield."

    She looked at her teacher and heard the her say, "Continue," with a smile on her face.

    "On top of the coronet sits a barbute helmet, which itself supports the crest, in this case, a classic silver anchor," she continued.

    "The coronet crest is decoratively bound by a roll of fabric, or torse, which carries the main colour used on the shield. Lastly, tied to the helmet is an average-sized drapery in the shape of small stage curtains and coloured in the main colours, just like the torse."

    "The shield itself has three colours, which are painted in a horizontal, symmetrically striped pattern. Two bow and arrow sets serve as the emblem, and an elegant maroon ribbon, hanging above the crest, carries the kingdom''s motto, which reads: "Pride and Honour."

    "Thank you, Miss Callan. You may be seated," the witch said.

    Astoria sat down and sighed softly. She thought that was a mouthful to read, and it was hard for her to properly concentrate with Laojin staring holes at her. Thankfully, she managed to read the text loudly and fluently.

    "I''ll gouge out your eyes or put a spell on you to see darkness when you look at me if you continue to stare," she whispered to him, to which he just laughed.

    She was thankful when the bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson. Who knew that being stared at during the whole lesson would be so uncomfortable. Because of that, she was unable to focus on the kingdom''s laws, which the teacher was explaining in great detail.

    The teacher left, and students began to chat excitedly, wondering what was in today''s menu and what snacks to buy. When it was just her and Laojin, he got up and sat on her desk. She glared at him as she closed her bag.

    "I must say, Nexi," he began, " it''s like you became a completely different person. Before, you never used to do so well in PE because you were quite weak. You never read if a teacher asked you to since you were shy, and you most definitely never stood up to Alexa and I when we harassed you."

    She sighed, not in the mood to have a conversation with him.

    "So she was being harassed," she mumbled, "I figured."

    She looked at the troll, a psychopathic smile and murderous gaze plastered on her face, and placed her hand on his left shoulder.

    "So, let me get this straight," she began.

    "You and your retard friends harassed and probably bullied Nexi since harassment is a form of bullying?" she asked.

    Laojin stared blankly at her.

    "Sweetcheeks," he replied in a flirtatious manner, "we are all friends here. Friends don''t bully each other, am I right?"

    She scoffed at his tone and question. The truth was, Nexi had been bullied by these troublemakers ever since she joined the academy. This was mainly because she was an introvert and, compared to others, had a weak magical energy force. She was a total pushover, too sweet for her own good. Astoria vowed to change the princess'' life before she went back to her world.

    "Friends?" she asked him, slowly digging her nails into his skin.

    "Friends," she repeated, getting a cry of pain from the troll, "I don''t think we are friends, you darn troll. I''m not friends with you, and I''m definitely not friends with your retard friends. So listen up real, real good."

    She let go of his shoulder and crossed her arms, her body glowing in what seemed to be a silver hue which she did not notice, but the troll did. Laojin, completely scared, slowly backed away from her. He thought she had gone crazy. Could being sick for two weeks change a person this much?

    "If I see you," Astoria walked towards him as he moved backward, eventually hitting the wall, "bullying me or anyone in Room 340..."

    She paused, placing her index finger where his heart was situated. It was beating rapidly as if ready to burst into a million pieces.

    "Actually, if I just happen to see you or your friends bullying anyone near me, you''re dead," she said, emphasising the ''dead'' part.

    Of course, she was not going to kill him. She was just trying to scare him. Judging from the cold sweat the troll was having, she was glad the scare tactic worked a little. She snickered and patted his shoulder, leaving the class with a triumphant expression. After walking a few steps, with her ponytail bouncing lightly in the air, she paused.

    "Wait a minute," she said, "where''s the cafeteria again?"

 Chapter 21 - The Rumour Surrounding Astoria Chambers

    She found cafeterias located on the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors of the Academy. Unsure of which floor to go to, she chose the closest one, which was the sixth floor. She saw other students walking in and out of the cafeteria. From the outside, the cafeteria looked welcoming, snug, and well maintained. It was also possible to see through it as it had a transparent sliding door.

    Hoping that Nexi''s fairy friend, Laurelai, was in this cafeteria, she entered the thin, transparent door. Her eyes widened at the interior design of the cafeteria. It was lovely inside. She was welcomed by different food aromas like roasted meat, sweets, and fresh fruit juice. The cafeterias staff were deep in conversation with other students who were ordering their lunch.

    Squared, golden beams supported the upper floor and the pretty decorated lights attached to them. The lights gave a calm ambiance to the room. The walls were decorated with art memorabilia depicting different events in the history of this world.

    The cafeteria itself was packed. Several long tables were occupied by large groups of students. The other smaller tables were occupied by a small number of students. Other students were playing games. Others, judging from their laughter, were either telling jokes or perhaps embarrassing stories. Some students'' tables were occupied with notebooks and textbooks and the sounds of pens being scribbled on paper.

    ''Wow, this Academy is truly amazing. Now, where is the cute red-headed fairy?''

    She scanned the room for a sign of red hair and spotted the fairy at the far corner of the cafeteria. The fairy waved at her and mouthed, ''Hurry up''. Smiling in relief, she began to walk towards her. She observed her surroundings and noticed some students whispering with each other, staring at her, and then whispering again. She wondered what that was all about but chose to ignore it. Currently, the only thing on her mind was food. The girl was as hungry as a lion.

    "Took you long enough. I almost starved to death because of you," the fairy exaggerated.

    She sat down and laughed at the remark.

    "Then why didn''t you go buy something instead of waiting for me to arrive?"

    The fairy shrugged and stood up.

    "Doesn''t matter. What do you want to eat, Nexi?"

    "What are the options? I''m kinda down for anything as look as there''s meat involved."

    "Haha. Alright, then let''s get the burger special which had two medium-sized burgers with two sides of fries and thick milkshakes."

    She liked the sound of that and rummaged through her bag for her purse. She found some banknotes.

    "How much do I need to give you?"

    The fairy smiled at her.

    "One Kremfa is enough," she said.

    ''What? How much was a ''Kremfa''? Ah, I should have gone through this before coming to school.''

    Laurelai stared at Astoria, arms crossed and looking impatient. She took Astoria''s purse from her and took out a banknote.

    "Geez, Nexi. It''s a great special, just K50. It''s not like it''s K150. I''m taking this note."

    The fairy held the note in her hand, took out another K50 from her own purse, and smiled at her.

    "K100, just what we need. I''ll be right back with our food. It should take about ten minutes or so to prepare. Don''t miss me too much while I''m gone."

    She laughed at the fairy who winked at her. The red-headed fairy walked away to one of the food stalls and stood in a line with the other students who also wanted to order their lunch from the stall.

    ''So this kingdom uses ''Kremfa'' as its currency. One Kremfa is equivalent to a 50. Okay, I''ll keep that in mind. Anyway, I''m glad Laurelai thought I was hesitating because I thought the price of the food was too much.''

    While she was waiting, she took out her textbook and began doing a little studying. Her Foreign Political Science teacher said that the class was going to have a ten-minute test on the politics of the Stussrin Kingdom tomorrow morning.

    "Let''s see," she said, opening her textbook.

    "It says here that the territorial law dictates all those found guilty of providing false information to an Officer of Peace (OP) will face the punishment of short-term public service. The community law dictates that all those found guilty of a hit and run will face the punishment of long-term servitude. In the case of eavesdropping on government conversations, the creature will face the punishment of medium-term solitary confinement."

    She paused and looked up to find the fairy being handed their order by the cafeteria staff. Smiling, she continued studying.

    "Anyone found guilty of killing another will face twenty years of solitary confinement. If a human is murdered, the punishment is twenty-five years. If the murder resulted from self-defense, the person would do a month''s worth of community service. The local law dictates that all those found guilty of attempting to partake in commercial bribery will face the punishment of execution."

    The fairy placed their food on the table.

    "I''m back," she chimed, sitting down.

    "Oh, were you studying?"

    Astoria stared at the food, mouth salivating, and nodded.

    "Okay. Anyway, here''s your food, bestie," the fairy said, handing Astoria her share of the food.

    "Thank you."

    She put her textbook in her bag and removed her blazer. Neatly placing it over her chair, she took a sip of the milkshake.

    ''Wow, so delicious.''

    They began to eat, enjoying the different flavours that burst in their mouths with every bite and crunch of the burger.

    "So," the fairy began after sipping her milkshake, "I heard a rumour when I was waiting in line to place our order. I wanted to find out from you if it''s true or not."

    "From me? What rumour?"

    The fairy leaned forward and whispered, "Apparently, you and Laojin had a little scuffle during Foreign Political Science."

    "Oh," Astoria replied, "that. That was just a misunderstanding."

    The fairy leaned back, raising an eyebrow.

    "I don''t think so. Apparently, Misty is furious."

    "Is that why the students were busy whispering and staring at me when I walked past them? Anyway, it''s just a little misunderstanding. Don''t mind it," she said, smiling at the fairy.

    "I, Laurelai Summermint, cannot just ignore this."

    Astoria was amused. Nexi''s friend was a fascinating creature. She leaned forward, a smile on her face.

    "And why can''t you just ignore it?"

    The fairy also leaned forward, placing her hand on the table.

    "Because I don''t want Alexa and her gang bullying you even more. You don''t deserve that kind of treatment."

    Astoria was touched by the fairy''s words and grinned sheepishly.

    "Don''t worry about me, Laurelai. They won''t bully me anymore. I''ll make sure of it."

    The fairy looked bewildered at her statement.

    "How?"

    "Hmm?" Astoria asked, sipping her milkshake.

    "How will you make sure of it? Everyone is scared of them, especially you. You''re like their number one target for some reason," the fairy said, throwing her hands in the air.

    "I''m not scared, at least not anymore. I''ll make sure they never bully Nexi again," she said with a determined expression.

    She was determined to change Nexi''s life for the better in any way she possibly could before leaving this world. She had to deal with Nexi''s bullies and siblings.

    ''This sweet princess shouldn''t be suffering like this so I will help her and make sure I end her suffering.''

 Chapter 22 - Awakening Ones True Self

    The rest of the day went by swiftly. Her other classes were as interesting as the classes she attended in the morning. When all the lessons were over, the fairy and her sat by one of the benches near the academy''s gate, waiting for their chauffeurs to arrive.

    "Man, I''m beat," the fairy said, rummaging through her bag for her textbook.

    She found it and, placing the thick textbook on the table, used it as a pillow. Astoria agreed as she was even more exhausted because of all the new knowledge she had acquired.

    "I can''t believe we will be going to East Corrilt for our Riddle Language Studies class. I was excited when the teacher announced it. That was until I heard her say it was part of our assignment. That place is so beautiful, and it also happens to be her hometown. It is one of the beautiful city districts of Ashen, full of hyacinth flowers and fun recreational activities. What a waste of a trip, don''t you think?"

    The fairy rambled on and on, talking about how excited she was for the trip despite it being for their assignment. At the end of their Riddle Language Studies class, the teacher, Miss Yalvina, an anthousai, informed the class that they would go to East Corrilt, one of the city districts of this kingdom.

    This was to develop their riddle skills as it was meant to be a fun way of enhancing their knowledge. Astoria was thrilled and afraid to go there. She was thrilled to travel but frightened of the dangers that may occur to her. She was troubled that the Smoke Monster would attack her since she would no longer be in the comfort and safety of the palace.

    "What''s wrong, Nexi?" the fairy asked, sensing the worried expression on her face.

    "Oh, it''s nothing. I guess I''m a tad bit excited at the thought of traveling but worried about getting a good grade for this assignment," she told the fairy.

    The fairy lifted her head, a grin on her face.

    "Don''t worry about that. We will ace the assignment since we have Davitt in our group. Luckily it''s just the three of us, and we''re all smart, so it''s..."

    The fairy paused, tucking her red strands of hair behind her ears.

    "Well, Davitt and I are smart, so you are lucky in that aspect. We will definitely ace the assignment."

    Astoria raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed.

    "Am I not smart enough?" she asked the fairy, who softly giggled.

    "Not exactly. You''re kinda below average-"

    "Below average!" she shouted, abruptly standing up and interrupting the fairy whose eyes widened in surprise at her friend''s sudden movement.

    She stared open-eyed at the fairy, unable to believe her ears. She had no idea that Nexi''s grades were that bad.

    ''So, not only does the princess have poor stamina and a weak body, but her grades are also below-average?''

    She sighed and told herself that she would have to improve Nexi''s marks and stamina during her stay in this world.

    "Yeah. Why are you acting so shocked?"

    The fairy had asked her, watching her in bewilderment. Astoria sat back down, a shy smile evident on her face as she stared back at the fairy.

    "Oh, nothing. I was just reminded of how I need to pull up my socks," she replied, playing with her ponytail.

    The fairy put away her textbook in her bag and stared intently at Astoria''s face, her red locks being gently blown by the passing wind.

    "What? Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?"

    Astoria began touching her face, but the fairy just continued to watch her, completely fascinated. After a minute of silence, the fairy spoke.

    "There''s something different about you, bestie," the fairy said, squinting her eyes to examine her.

    "Different? Me? Nah, you''re just imagining things," she told the fairy, brushing off her remark.

    "No," the fairy continued, "there''s definitely something different."

    She was deep in thought for a few minutes. Of course, there was something different about her since she was not the princess the fairy knew. Instead, she was a policewoman whose soul was stuck in the body of a princess. She still had no clue on how to get her soul back into her own body.

    "Anyway," the fairy concluded, breaking the silence that had hung in the air, "I like this version of you. You''re bolder and don''t keep your feelings bottled up. I feel like you are expressing yourself more, Nexi."

    Astoria grinned, glad that the fairy did not suspect anything strange about her.

    "Also, sorry to say this," the fairy quickly added, "but you being sick seemed to awaken your true self. Therefore, I''m partially glad you got sick, bestie."

    Astoria smirked at the fairy''s statement. Outside the academy, it was buzzing with the laughter and voices of students waiting to go home. Other students were wearing tracksuits as they had extracurricular activities. She wondered where Nexi''s siblings were since they were nowhere to be found outside.

    ''Do they have extracurricular activities?''

    "Who are you looking for, bestie?" the fairy questioned.

    "Just my siblings."

    "Naida and Morvin have extracurricular activities today. Don''t you remember?"

    "Oh, I forgot. Do you partake in any extracurricular activities?"

    "Unfortunately, I''m way too occupied with the matters of the Summer Court to be involved in any," the fairy replied, an expression of melancholy on her face.

    "Remember how you and I really wanted to be part of the Student Council? I''m a busy princess, and your father said you can''t be involved in any activities due to your weak body. Only your siblings can be involved, and they even got to be part of the Student Council. I''m so jealous," she said, sadly disappointed.

    "I see," was all Astoria could mutter.

    She kind of expected that answer from the fairy since she had learned that Nexi had a weak body ever since she was born. That was one of the reasons why the bullies targeted her. It was also why Naida hated her guts because why would the Goddess bestow such great power on a princess who was weak and not a full-fledged Water Folk?

    "Don''t look so sad about it, though. Extracurricular activities aren''t everything," the fairy said, smiling at her reassuringly.

    "Oh, I''m not. It can''t be helped, I guess," she said, smiling back at the red-haired fairy.

    The fairy agreed. They waited for about ten minutes, and her ride arrived. Laurelai stood up as she saw a figure emerge from the car. A full smile appeared on her face when she saw that it was her father who had come to fetch her, not her chauffeur.

    "Daddy!"

    She grabbed her bag and ran into his arms, laughing in pure bliss.

    "Why are you here?" she asked, bewildered.

    Her father smiled, stroking her hair.

    "You said you were only coming back tomorrow," she added.

    "The quest finished earlier than expected thanks to your strong old man here," he told her, pointing at himself, a fatherly smile on his face.

    "You''re not old, dad," she assured him, playfully hitting his arm.

    He chuckled and peered over her and saw Astoria smiling at their cute interaction. It made her happy to see the fairy smiling and laughing like a little child.

    "Nexi," he said, "glad to see you''re all better. Take it easy, and don''t push yourself too hard. Send my regards to your father."

    She nodded.

    "Bye, bestie!" the fairy called out.

    The fairy waved goodbye and hopped into the car. Her father said goodbye to Astoria and drove off, leaving her alone on the bench.

    ''It was sweet to see such an interaction.. Makes me miss my dad.''

 Chapter 23 - Engaged To A What!?

    Astoria''s chauffeur arrived twenty minutes later, and when she was back at the palace and in the comfort of her room, she threw her bag on the floor and fell on the bed.

    ''Man, I''m tired. What a long day it has been.''

    She got under the soft blanket, closing her eyes. There was a knock on the door, and she groaned.

    ''I just got back from the academy and want to take a nap in peace. Is that too much to ask?''

    "Come in," she exclaimed rather reluctantly.

    The elf came in, a smirk on her face as she saw that the princess was in a sleeping position.

    "How was your day back at the academy, Nexi?" she asked.

    Astoria sat up and took off her school blazer.

    "Not too bad. I actually had a great day. I''m just tired, though," she replied, giving her blazer to the elf who placed it in a hanger inside the princess'' dresser.

    "I know you''re about to sleep," the elf began, "but your father is requesting to see you. He is waiting for you in the throne hall."

    She got out of bed, curious about what the king wanted to say to her. The elf told her that she would prepare something for her to eat in the mean time. She could take her nap after eating and taking her medication.

    "Thank you, Keya."

    She left the elf in her room and headed for the throne hall. On the way, she browsed through the different paintings that were plastered on the wall. Some paintings were of family portraits, others were illustrations of the Goddess.

    Other paintings portrayed a variety of mythical creatures. She arrived at the throne hall and spotted the king having a discussion with the royal messenger. She waited for him to finish his conversation with the messenger.

    "My child, come here," he said, signaling her to go to him with his finger.

    She walked towards him and watched as he dismissed the messenger. She noticed a stack of paper on top of the large table by the corner of the throne hall.

    "Father," she said, looking back at the king, "Keya said you needed to see me."

    Her father took a seat at the large table and beckoned her to do the same. She sat beside him, her hands settled on her lap.

    "I hope your first day back at the academy was not bad. Anyway, I understand that this is not the best time to tell you this," he began, "but I''m afraid I have to."

    "What is it, father?"

    "So, I acknowledge that you probably don''t remember your engagement to Kuba Yashiro, the fox spirit."

    "My engagement? I''m engaged?"

    She did not anticipate this.

    ''What engagement? And with a fox spirit? A kitsune?''

    "Yes, you are going to get married next year. It''s an arranged marriage."

    "An arranged marriage, father?"

    She could not believe what this man was speaking.

    "Yes, you have to go spend time with him and his family this weekend. It''s going to be the third meeting this year. You will be leaving on Friday morning," the king said.

    "But, what about the academy? Won''t I miss out on important school work?"

    Her father smiled, stroking her blue-black hair.

    "I''ve already discussed with the headmaster of the academy to give you special leave, and the academy will give you the notes on whatever work you''ve missed. Moreover," he pointed to the stack of paper she had noticed earlier.

    "Take this."

    He moved the stack of paper towards her. It looked heavy, and she began flipping through the pages. The pages had important information that she had to know about the Kuba family. She looked up from the paper and looked at the king.

    "I did not tell them about your amnesia for a good reason. I''ve tried to hold back this meeting between you and them, but unfortunately, they really want to have you come over. You were actually supposed to go to them a week ago. Still, then you had your incident, which left you bedridden for a while. Then you woke up with amnesia, making the stay with them quite difficult."

    She nodded, understanding the situation a little. She was, however, very uncomfortable at the thought of spending time with a family of foxes, and she was engaged to one of them.

    ''As if I didn''t think my life would get more complicated, this man tells me about an engagement with a kitsune.''

    She sighed, a pout on her face. The king noticed her discomfort and placed his hand on top of hers.

    "I''m sorry, my child," he said, understanding how his daughter was feeling.

    "I know that you are in no position to stay with them for the weekend. I can''t even travel with you because they only want you there, and I have a convention to attend."

    The king had a sad expression on his face. He knew his daughter was in no position to go through this, and that was why he had tried to postpone this visit as much as possible. Still, the Kuba family insisted they spend time with their daughter-in-law this weekend.

    "I''m sorry, father. I''m not trying to seem like I''m unhappy about this whole engagement deal, but please remind me why I''m engaged to a fox spirit?"

    The king leaned back on his seat, clasping his hands together.

    "It is a marriage of convenience, my child. This is to strengthen the Kingdom of Ashen and the Kingdom of Chesropis," he responded.

    She nodded but just had to ask one more thing that was bugging her.

    "Father, did I agree to this marriage of convenience?"

    He remained silent for about a minute.

    "Yes," he replied, "it is a tradition of Ashen to marry off one of its daughters to another Kingdom to build the kingdom''s economy and strengthen its international relations."

    "And is my sister also engaged?"

    "No," he answered, "she''s not, and neither is your brother."

    "And why is that?"

    She was curious why Nexi was the only one engaged while her siblings were not. Was it to discard her because she was weak and, therefore, of no use to this kingdom? Is there an ulterior motive behind her engagement, or was it indeed just a marriage of convenience?

    "Naida will take over the throne next year and is compelled to marry a Water Folk a year or so later. As for your brother, he said he is impassive to marriage and instead wants to pursue a career in animal forensic science."

    "Then what if I want to travel and not get married? What if I''m not interested in this arranged marriage?"

    It was not like she was serious about her desire for traveling, but she just wanted to know if there was a way of stopping or breaking off this marriage. The king sighed deeply and stood up.

    "I''m sorry, my child, but this arranged marriage was signed and sealed more than ten years ago between us families."

    "That''s not fair," she said, pouting.

    He crouched beside her chair, looking up at her with a look of understanding.

    "I know, my child. I assure you that the Kuba family is a well-respected royal family, and they are lovely people. The family has two sons and one daughter. The daughter is twenty years old, and she really likes you. You also get along pretty well with Yashiro."

    Astoria did not care whether the family was respected, the marriage was approved years ago, or she got along with the kitsune. She just did not find it fair for the princess to marry a man for convenience.

    ''What about Nexi''s happiness and her wanting to marry someone she actually loved? Is her father just disregarding that because he does not care about what happens to her as his youngest daughter?''

    She had some idea that this kind of marriage would exist in this world, but she had no idea that she would be involved in one. Well, she was not involved, but Nexi was, and for the time being, she was Nexi.

    "The papers have all the information you need to know about the Kuba family and your future partner. Make sure you memorise as much information as possible so that they do not become aware of your amnesia."

    With those words, the king left her. She stared in muted silence at the king''s throne in the throne hall, utterly perplexed at her new predicament.

    ''If I''m leaving on Friday, then that means I have a day to memorise all this? What am I, a robot? I can''t remember all this!''

    She trudged to her room, rubbing the sleep she now desperately wanted. Sitting down on the bed, the stack of paper in her hand, she groaned into her pillow.

    ''Goodness gracious! I certainly did not sign up for this when I yearned to be saved!''

 Chapter 24 - Keeping Up With The Kubas

    She took a deep whiff of air and let it out, rising from the bed, and sitting down at her study table, a glint of irritation in her cobalt eyes.

    ''Of all the creatures I had to get engaged to, it just had to be a fox spirit.''

    She sighed loudly, setting the stack of paper in front of her. Flipping the first page, it was titled ''Family tree'' in bold letters.

    "Let''s see," she said, examining the different names and images of the Kuba family members, "gosh, there''s a lot."

    There was a knock on the door, and, soon after, the elf stepped in, a meal held in her hands. The elf placed the meal on the table with a glass of fresh fruit juice. Another glass had water, and her medicine was set next to the glass.

    "Hey, Keya, could I ask you something?"

    The elf looked at her, noticing the stack of paper on her desk, and nodded.

    "So," she began, " this marriage thing, am I...? Um, do you think it''s okay? Like, is it okay for me to go this Friday to the Kuba family?"

    "Why do you ask?" the elf questioned, her head tilted to the side.

    Astoria stared at the paper in front of her.

    "I don''t know. I just can''t seem to shake off the feeling that something is wrong. Like, something bad might happen to me, I guess. Plus, my gut is never wrong."

    "Don''t worry, Nexi. I know you''re just worried because of your amnesia, but I trust that you will be fine. Besides, if you feel like coming home earlier, you can always let me know," the ef assured her.

    She looked at the elf, confusion plastered on her face.

    "Let you know? How?"

    "You have a cellphone, remember?" the elf reminded her with a soft chuckle.

    "Wait, we have cellphones in this world?"

    She couldn''t believe that the thought of cellphones crossed her mind. Obviously, if there were cars in this world, then cellphones would also be available.

    "Where is it?" she quickly asked.

    The elf pointed to her dresser.

    "The last time I checked, you had left it in one of the shelves in your dresser. Anway," the elf said, stopping by the door.

    "I''ll take my leave now, Nexi. The king told me not to disturb you as you have to memorise the information on the Kuba family. Please finish all your food and take your medicine when you''re done. The doctor said you should take one pill. Take a nap afterward. If you need me, I''ll be outside. I''ll wake you up once dinner is ready."

    With that, the elf left her. She watched her food, utterly lacking any appetite. She was way too stressed out to eat anything at this point. Her mind was on the dreaded Friday and the thought of staying with strangers for two nights.

    "I should look for Nexi''s cellphone later. Anyway, I do need all the strength I can get so let me eat," she said as her stomach started grumbling.

    She grabbed a chicken and mayo sandwich. As she ate, she began reading the information on the next page, which was titled ''Family members information''.

    "Okay, so firstly, we have my mother-in-law," she laughed sarcastically, "who is 110 years old. Wow. She is Kuba Natsumi, and her name means Summer beauty because of her divine beauty, which is like that of the view one would see on summer nights."

    She took a sip of her juice and smiled at the taste. It was made of deliciously freshly squeezed oranges.

    "Mrs. Kuba is known for her pitch-black hair, which reaches her shoulders. She has a thin, lively face with heavy gray eyes. Known for her good looks and sense of honour, she is loved among her people and is the envy of most women. She is the mother of two sons and one daughter."

    "According to some creatures, friends, and family members, she is an open fox spirit known for her generosity. The two traits which most creatures love about her are that she is fun-loving and protective. She is also forthright, honest, and sometimes stubborn. However, sometimes she can be a little materialistic and petty."

    She flipped the page over and saw that it was the husband''s profile.

    "Kuba Takeshi, whose name means warrior, is a 200 year old fox spirit who happens to be a nine-tailed fox, the symbol of peace and prosperity in the Kingdom of Chesropis. He is known for his red, flowing curly hair, which hangs elegantly over his lean, chiseled face. His shuttered ocean blue eyes are said to make anyone get lost in them."

    "There is a lot to say regarding his personality. Still, the traits that most people enjoy are that he is hardworking and strategic. Of course, he''s also resourceful, brave, and courageous. He''s mostly known for his hardworking nature. One of the things to look out for is his occasional evil and irrational nature, which occurs when he is unhappy or annoyed by a certain circumstance."

    She sighed and took a mental note not to get on his wrong side or offend him. Taking another sandwich, she flipped to the next page and saw that it was the information on the children. The Kuba family has two sons and a daughter who are just as good looking as their parents.

    ''But then again, fox spirits are handsome. Well, at least that''s according to what I''ve seen in movies and manga.''

    She ate her sandwich and continued her reading.

    "The oldest son of the Kuba family is Yashiro."

    She paused and drank the rest of the juice, finishing it in one gulp.

    "Yashiro is a 50 year old fox spirit known for his high intelligence and strategic planning. He works alongside his father when it comes to formulating new, innovative, and effective weapons. Known for his narcissistic nature and sometimes prejudice, creatures often do not get along with him, leading to conflict. Both male and female creatures wish to marry him due to his handsome looks and intelligence. He has black, long hair which covers a well-defined face. His gray eyes are deeply set within his face and are always full of charisma."

    She frowned the entire time while reading his bio.

    "I don''t think I can like this guy. Something tells me we will have conflicting opinions. Maybe Nexi liked him, but as for me, I definitely don''t see myself falling for him."

    She then read about the second son, who was just four years younger than Yashiro. His name was Yoshito, meaning nice or kind. He has his father''s eyes and short curly red hair, which hangs over his charming face. His soft skin and handsomeness lead to many compliments and wedding proposals from families far and wide.

    Unlike his brother, Yoshito was not narcissistic, although he knew that he was handsome. Creatures enjoy his loyalty, practicality, and understanding nature. Just like his mother, he is fun-loving. Sometimes, he tends to be stubborn and too good-natured. He always wants to do what is right regardless of the situation or consequences.

    ''Aww, that''s sweet. I like him more than his brother.''

    She smiled and read the last profile of the youngest child, Ai, whose name meant love. She was named after the deep and strong love her parents have shared all these years. She was only 20 years old with gray eyes and pitch-black hair, an exact replica of her mother.

    Known throughout Chesropis as an intuitive and inquisitive lady, she is a freethinker and adventurer, often getting herself in trouble with her father. Sometimes, she can be very impatient. Her brothers adore her, and she wishes to become a potion maker, much to her father''s objection.. He wants her to study law as he says that a fox spirit should not do a wizard or witch''s job. Her favourite hobby is painting.

    "I like her," she stated, a smirk on her face.

    Ai reminded her of herself since they shared similar traits. They both liked doing what they wanted regardless of anyone''s objections. If there was one person she was looking forward to meeting, it was Ai. She put the paper aside, wanting to take a break and sleep.. After taking her medicine, she got on the bed and felt completely exhausted as the medicine immediately kicked in.

 Chapter 25 - Ones Royal Duty

    When Friday arrived, she was in a bad and agitated mood.

    "Why do you look so agitated, Nexi?"

    The elf asked her, neatly setting her clothes in her purple suitcase. Keya watched as the princess was too restless to sit still and paced back and forth. It was clear that the princess was troubled. Astoria dreaded today since she did not feel like going to the Kuba family, let alone staying with them for two nights, mainly when she was an amnesiac and vulnerable to people''s deceptions.

    "Keya," she said, "I don''t think I should go. Do I have to? Can we not postpone it to next week or next month?"

    "You have to go, princess. It is your royal duty."

    She softly groaned at the elf''s response.

    ''Royal duty, my ass.''

    "Come on," the elf said, holding her hand, "Let''s go."

    She sighed and let the elf drag her to her father.

    "My child," the king said, "you are looking so beautiful this morning."

    ''Don''t compliment me, please. I''m way too pissed off and agitated right now to take any compliments.''

    A slow, fake smile worked its way across her face as she stared at him.

    "Thank you, father."

    The king was not wrong in complimenting her. She really looked beautiful in her apricot dress. The dress covered her shoulders halfway and flowed down into a modest plunging neckline. It was a snug fit which made the dress look sleek and elegant. Her arms were covered just below her shoulders which was a good thing as her silky skin looked even silkier.

    The dress had a slim waist, with a small, elegant ribbon wrapped around the waist and tied in the front. The ribbon helped accentuate her waist without being too much. Below the waist, the dress widens with an asymmetric draped style. The apricot dress reaches just below her knees and is the same length all around.

    She wore black pumps, which perfectly matched the dress. To top it all off, she wore a gorgeous necklace and opulent bracelet. Her blue-black hair was not tied, and it framed her face in a flattering way as it glistened in the light.

    "I hope you have packed everything you need."

    "Yes, father."

    She tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ears. The king walked to his daughter and placed his hands on her shoulder. A smile of joy and satisfaction lit up his face. When she continued to stare at him blankly, he shook his head in understanding.

    "I know this may make you uncomfortable, my child."

    She nodded but said nothing, her gaze strolling over the room absently.

    "Are you afraid?"

    Her wandering gaze came up to his face, and she sighed.

    "Yes, but I''m more like terrified. I can''t remember anything about anyone or even myself. I did memorise everything in the papers you gave me, but I still feel uneasy."

    He understood her concern and pulled her into his arms, stroking her hair.

    "I understand, my child," he said.

    As he spoke, he continued to lightly stroke her hair, holding her hand gently.

    "I promise you will be okay and safe. If you begin to feel extremely uneasy, you can just phone Keya, and she''ll arrange for someone to fetch you right away."

    She nodded, obviously still uneasy about the whole situation.

    "What about the Smoke Monster?"

    The king regarded her with a puzzled expression. She met his puzzled gaze and explained further.

    "I mean, the monster that killed my mum and is after me. Before, I felt safe from it because I was told that protective magic surrounds the kingdom. Thanks to the magic, that monster cannot hurt me, but what about my safety in Chesropis?"

    "Oh, um, do not worry about that. The Kubas will protect you as they know our situation. Besides, we have been doing searches on that creature but haven''t found any site of it. You''ll be safe since the Goddess is watching over you."

    ''Great, that response was not very reassuring Why do I feel like he''s hiding something?''

    She nodded and grabbed her suitcase.

    "Let me walk you to the gate," he said, walking by her side.

    When she was outside the palace gates, she looked back at the palace. She was getting used to this place now, and it had been about a week since she woke up to find herself stuck in this place. So far, none of Nexi''s memories had come back, but she knew that they would return slowly and, hopefully, soon.

    "Before I forget," the king said, causing her to turn and face him, "take this."

    A leather book, glowing in a silver colour, with a magic seal, appeared in his hands.

    "This is a book with magic spells. If you find yourself in trouble, you can summon this book by saying ''Vexati''. Whatever spell you want is in here. For example," he opened the first page of the book, symbolising a silver flame.

    "Invisibility," he said.

    The book floated in front of them, and the pages turned without anyone touching them. She watched, fascinated, as the book landed in his hands again. The page in front of him revealed an invisibility spell. He showed it to her, and she was intrigued. She saw the words one would have to say to conjure the invisibility spell.

    "Wow," she breathed out, bowing to look at the page, "that''s amazing."

    She stared back at him, and he smiled. The book was placed in her hand, and then it began to slowly fade into her hand, causing a black dot to gradually appear on the top of her hand. The black dot looked like a mole, and she blinked in surprise as she stared at it.

    "The book is inside you and whenever you need it, just say ''Vexati,'' and it will instantly appear."

    She nodded and felt a bit at ease that she had a magic book she could use to protect herself. However, she had no idea if the spells would be effective against the Smoke Monster or any monster. He held his arms out to her, waiting for her to hug him. She hugged him, a smile on her face. He really reminded her of her father, who she dearly missed.

    "Alright," he said, "you should be on your way now."

    She nodded and sat in the backseat of the car. The king put her suitcase in the boot. She popped her head out the window and waved goodbye to the king and elf as the vehicle began to drive away.

    "I''ll see you soon!" she exclaimed, a smile on her face.

    The king and Keya waved back, smiles plastered on their faces.

    "She was never this bright," the king said to the elf as he continued waving.

    "Yes," the elf agreed, "but I like this version of her better."

    They smiled as they continued waving, the car beginning to disappear. She sighed and braced herself for whatever was to come.

    ''Okay, Astoria Chambers. No matter what happens, try and keep yourself collected and alert. Also, let''s try and focus on getting bits of Nexi''s memories back.''

    A familiar look of determination was on her upturned face.

 Chapter 26 - A Blushing And Painful Mess

    Unlike the Kingdom of Ashen, Chesropis was home to one city known as Yuudai. It was named after the mighty kitsune warrior, Hajime Yuudai, who fought many wars and brought many victories to the kingdom more than three hundred years ago. The city''s kingdom was built on the sunny side of a gentle mountain. It is known as an ever-growing urban city.

    Its beauty and uniqueness were matched by the backdrop of gentle hills, which have helped shape the city into what it was today. The trade and weaponry resources these hills brought were of great importance. Still, they were also valuable and influential when it came to architectural designs.

    This is because the vast majority of buildings in the kingdom have been built with many round shapes, wide sizes, and elements of the gentle hills around them. The city itself looks majestic with its swarms of fireflies which appear every night, illuminating the city and giving it a delightful and romantic atmosphere at night.

    Its main attraction was the shopping district, which was built forty-four years ago. It was designed by a well-known architect who marvelously captured the uniqueness of the kingdom. The architect used a harmonious style to convey his vision in building this attraction. It was this fantastic shopping district that has indeed left its mark on the lives of many creatures.

    Besides selling various beautiful clothing, the shopping district also has several coffeehouses, theme restaurants, and bistros that offer a plethora of culinary choices. Those who feel hungry for something else can enjoy going to the amusement park, clubs, or one of the many other recreational venues found all over the city and kingdom.

    Yuudai has a thriving economy, which is mainly supported by jewel crafting and trade. However, their most significant strengths were their unique weaponry and armour. Many kingdoms and nations buy their weaponry, such as blades, bows, pistols, shields, staves, and assault rifles. Their leather and plated armour are also popular among different kingdoms and nations, bringing in large amounts of revenue yearly.

    She watched as the car drove past a variety of creatures in the city. Most of them were kitsune''s who were dressed in traditional clothing. There were also humans walking about. The city was buzzing with many tourists, and this made her smile. It showed that this was a kingdom with great hospitality. She gave a sigh that had a mixture of contentment and relief.

    As the chauffeur continued driving, she saw a great gate made of aluminian. Driving past the gate, she saw seven thin, square towers that formed an almost perfectly squared barrier around the marvelous palace connected by massive, thin walls made of dark green stone. Expansive windows were scattered thinly around the walls in fairly symmetrical patterns, along with holes of various sizes for archers and artillery.

    The large aluminum gate, a regular bridge, and strong defenses guard the palace. Still, it was not the only way into the palace. However, it was anyone''s best shot if they wanted to enter and conquer the palace because the palace was heavily guarded. Various large houses are scattered outside the palace gates, and, surprisingly, only the rich live near the palace.

    There was a flag hanging on the palace doors. It was made up of five vertical stripes in light purple and dark gold. The emblem of Chesropis consisted of an image of a fox''s head and black claw marks on each side of its head. The emblem stands for the kingdom''s strengths, craftsmanship, intelligence, and honour. The car stopped by the entrance of the door.

    "Wow," she said, stepping out of the car, "the palaces in this world are more intriguing than those in my world."

    The chauffeur opened the boot and took out her suitcase, placing it in front of her. She thanked him and held the handle tightly. Guards were standing next to the door, and some servants were walking around the palace. They whispered among themselves as they saw her, gradually bowing as they passed her. She bowed back at them and awkwardly smiled. Suddenly, the door opened to reveal Princess Ai, who threw herself into her arms. She almost stumbled at the sudden impact.

    "Nexi!" she exclaimed.

    "I missed you so much. Are you feeling better? My father told me that you were sick, and that was why you could not come earlier."

    She smiled at the young princess whose pigtails were bouncing lightly as she spoke while moving her hands frantically.

    "It''s good to see you again, Ai. I missed you too. I''m feeling a whole lot better."

    "Great! Let''s go then," Ai said, holding her hand and thanking the chauffeur. "Mother and father are waiting for you."

    She watched as the female fox dragged her to the throne room, where everyone was waiting for her.

    "Mother, father, she''s here!" Ai said, barely containing her excitement.

    ''My father was not kidding when he said Ai likes me. She looks more excited to see me than my own fianc��. Where are the brothers anyway?''

    "Princess Nexi," Mrs. Kuba, the queen, said, spreading her arms out as she walked towards her. "It''s great to see you again. Your father told us you were not feeling well, and that''s why we had to postpone this meeting."

    She nodded in response as the queen hugged her.

    "Yes, but I''m feeling a lot better now. I''m sorry that I could not meet with everyone."

    "Nonsense," the king said, approaching her, his red hair standing out from his chiseled face.

    "It''s quite alright, Nexi. We are just glad that you are feeling better. Ai, please escort her to her room."

    Ai nodded, "Follow me, Nexi."

    As they walked to her room, she scanned the hallways she passed and saw that it was filled with family portraits and different paintings of nature.

    "Are these your paintings?"

    She could not help but ask the young fox who was walking in front of her.

    "Yes, but only the ones with images of nature are mine. I told you this already, don''t you remember?"

    Astoria awkwardly laughed. "I do. It''s just that I sometimes forget how great of an artist you are. You are really talented, Ai."

    Ai turned to face the princess, a slight blush on her face. She grinned.

    "Thank you. I just wish my father could see that."

    They stopped outside a light brown wooden door.

    "Here we are," the fox said, her hands clasped together.

    "Thank you."

    Ai nodded.

    "Once you''re done settling your things, you can join us in the dining room for lunch. You must be starving since it''s a long ride from Ashen to here."

    With that, the fox winked at her and left. She smiled as Ai disappeared around the corner of the hallway. She turned to face the door in front of her, gently pushed it open, and walked inside. Suddenly she screamed as she saw a figure step out of the bathroom.

    Yashiro came out of the bathroom with a towel that hugged his lower body, revealing his lean hips and firm, robust body. She held her hands in front of her eyes to block herself from seeing his almost naked body. She did not expect to find anyone in her room, let alone him.

    ''Oh my goodness.''

    "What''s up with you?" the male fox asked her, water droplets dripping from his long black hair and onto his chest and back.

    "Why are you half-naked? Actually, this is my room, so why the hell are you in here?" she replied, blushing in embarrassment.

    The fox tsked and walked towards her. He found her quite amusing at this moment and suddenly felt the urge to tease her. He walked towards her and closed the door. Pinning her to the door, she gasped, and her cobalt eyes blinked multiple times in surprise. His gray eyes scanned her as he trailed his finger down her face, his claw lightly poking her.

    "I don''t know why you''re asking me such questions, but last time I checked, there was no ''your'' room. This is ''our'' room, don''t you remember?" he replied in a playful and teasing manner.

    She felt his body heat from the short distance between them, and suddenly, she began to recognise his scent. The air between them suddenly shimmered with his body heat, and her body''s sudden sliver glow. Still, he did not flinch away like any normal person would.

    She noticed the glow, and her eyes widened in surprise. She did not know why her body suddenly began to glow, but it caused her head to start spinning. She softly cried in pain as she leaned against him, and he held her close, unsure of what was happening to her or what to make of this situation.

    "Hey, are you okay?" he asked her, his voice rising in panic and alarm.

    "My head," she answered, struggling to breathe.

    She placed her hands on both sides of her face as she felt a hot, throbbing pain in her head, making her feel even dizzier.

    "I, uh, it hurts so much!" she cried out.

 Chapter 27 - What Really Happened That Day

    "I, uh, it hurts so much!" she cried out.

    "Wait, let''s get you lying on the bed," he said.

    Yashiro carried her in his arms and gently laid her on the bed. Putting his hand on her forehead, he noticed that she was burning up and asleep, but not entirely. He rushed to the bathroom, grabbed a towel, opened the tap, and soaked it in cold water. He then wrung the towel and sat by her side. He brushed a strand of her hair from her face and set the towel on her forehead to cool her down.

    He lightly stroked her cheek. A few minutes later, he sighed in relief when he saw that her breathing was back to normal. Her body was still glowing a silver hue, but the glow was not as bright as it was a few minutes ago. He was genuinely concerned about her and did not want to leave her side.

    "Just what in the world is going on here?" he asked himself as he ran his fingers through his wet black hair.

    He stared at the princess, who was now squirming and looked troubled in her sleep. He took out a few clothes and walked to the bathroom. When he came out, he was dressed in simple casual clothes. He took the towel and poured it with water, wringing it and placing it on her forehead again. As he watched her, he noticed her scrunching her face, but her eyes were still closed. She looked restless.

    A memory of the day Nexi''s mother disappeared popped into her mind. She saw how terrifying and horrendous the orcs looked as they tied up Morvin, Naida, and Keya. She also saw how a stave struck Nexi''s mother and the queen. This memory brought goosebumps to her arms.

    Another memory appeared. This time, Nexi was staring at a cake that Keya had baked for her 13th birthday. Although her siblings did not want to be there for her birthday celebration, they still sang for her and attempted to appear festive for her. Even though Nexi could sense how much her siblings did not want to be next to her, she was still delighted to have them around.

    Another memory. This time Nexi was older, and she started her first day of magic school at the academy. Just like Astoria had read in her diary, she accidentally enlarged the teacher, Mrs. Elless. The whole class was laughing, and Nexi was a blushing mess. The student next to her, laughing, nudged her, and she stared at him.

    "Nice going," the student mockingly said.

    Yet again, another memory played itself. This time it looked like a recent one. Nexi wanted to take a walk to the river, but she was sick.

    "Keya, I want to take a walk to the river," she told the elf.

    "No, princess. You know you have a fever. I was given a strict order by your father to have you stay in your room and only let you out when necessary."

    Nexi pouted as she lay on her bed.

    "But I''m so bored," she exclaimed, dragging the ''so.''

    "Besides," she added, "my father does not have to know. It''ll be our little secret."

    She winked at the elf who disagreed with her yet again.

    "Please, Keya," she pleaded, "It''ll just be for five minutes. Nothing more, but nothing less."

    She continued whining and pleading until the elf eventually gave in.

    "Fine, but it better be five minutes and no more than that."

    Nexi jumped from her bed in excitement and almost fell to the floor. She grinned sheepishly in satisfaction.

    "You have my word."

    They walked out of the palace and headed to the river. The day was sunny and mild - perfect for taking a relaxing stroll.

    "You see," she said as she hopped like a bunny, "it''s the perfect day for a lovely stroll. Besides, my father will not be back until later, and my siblings have extracurricular activities, so we''re safe from them finding out. The guards won''t say a word since you are with me."

    The elf just nodded in response and smiled at how cute the princess looked, hopping like an excited little child. Birds flew past them and sang sweet tunes. A cool, gentle breeze touched the warmth of their cheeks and neck. It made Nexi even more delighted. She tucked some loose strands of her hair, which had been blown by the breeze, behind her ear. When they reached the river, the elf lay down the mat she was carrying, and they sat down.

    "Ah," Nexi breathed out, stretching her arms in the air, "I love the smell of the great outdoors."

    The view of the scenery in front of them was breathtaking. The river flowed downstream. If you were lucky, you could see some animals coming to have a drink. As they sat in silence, admiring the lovely scenery and peaceful quiet, Keya kept count of the time. She did not want the princess to stay out for too long, afraid it would worsen her fever.

    "Okay, princess. Time is up," the elf said after five minutes.

    "Aww, already?"

    "Let''s go," the elf said, standing up and taking the mat in her hands.

    Nexi sighed, a sad expression on her face.

    "Alright, I did say only five minutes."

    Suddenly, black bubbles began to form in the river. Keya quickly ran to the princess'' side and stood in front of her.

    "Wh-what is that?" the princess pointed at the river.

    "I don''t know, princess, but I don''t like the looks of it. I''m sensing bad magical energy," the elf responded.

    Her body was on high alert. Nexi looked panic-stricken as a black, smokey figure emerged from the river.

    "My, my, my," the Smoke Monster said menacingly, "if it isn''t the now grown-up princess."

    ''Oh no, this can''t be happening. It can''t be. Why is the Smoke Monster here?''

    Nexi was terrified as she held on to Keya''s hand tightly.

    "Teleport us back to the palace now," she whispered to the elf.

    "I''m trying, but my magic-"

    "Teleporting won''t work," the Smoke Monster cut in, "I won''t allow it!"

    It growled in a deep, menacing voice.

    "What do you want? Why can''t you just leave me alone?" Nexi asked the figure, a hint of fear and anger in her voice.

    The Smoke Monster floated in the air and began to approach them slowly.

    "I''m afraid I cannot do that, little one," it said.

    Nexi was beyond terrified. Her body and mind were too shocked and afraid of the Smoke Monster to even conjure her Silver Ocean to protect the elf and herself.

    ''Come on, body. Don''t let me down. Snap out of it!''

    No matter how many times she tried to focus, she could not summon the Silver Ocean. She knew that they were in big trouble.

    "You are the biggest threat to my life and future plans, little one."

    She looked up at the Smoke Monster as smokey tentacles began forming out of its body. She looked at the green-haired elf, who looked just as terrified as she was. The elf knew what a formidable opponent the Smoke Monster was.

    "Princess Nexi," she whispered, "run as fast as you can back to the palace. I''ll try and distract it so-"

    Suddenly, a tentacle wrapped itself around Nexi''s waist and pulled her towards the Smoke Monster. She was flung into the river and the Smoke Monster laughed menacingly.

    "Nexi!" the elf cried out.

    Astoria suddenly woke up from her sleep with a loud gasp. She clutched her dress tightly and found that her heart was beating like a wild animal trying to escape her chest.

    "Hey, Nexi. Hey, it''s okay," the fox cooed to her, wrapping his arms around her as she tried to calm her beating heart.

    ''So that''s how Nexi ended up in the river? Oh no, this isn''t good. This is really, really not good.''

 Chapter 28 - Unfamiliar Emotions

    When she finally got back to her usual self, she realised that Yashiro was hugging her.

    "Ah! Too close!" she exclaimed in shock, placing her hands on his chest and pushing him away from her.

    The sudden action caught him by surprise, and he ended up falling off the bed.

    "Ow!"

    Without having to look at her, he knew she was blushing again.

    "What was that for?" he asked, staring up at her as he lay on the floor.

    She gasped and quickly got out of bed. She walked to him and held out her hand to him.

    "Oh my gosh," she gushed out, embarrassment was written all over her face, "I''m so, so sorry. You just caught me by surprise."

    He tsked as he took her hand and stood up.

    "Well, aren''t you charming?"

    She blushed even more, avoiding eye contact with the fox.

    "When did you get so strong?" he teasingly asked her, a smirk on his face.

    "I''ve been working out, doing some training, and stuff like that," she lied and awkwardly laughed.

    "Uh-huh," was all he could say, certainly amused by this princess.

    She internally facepalmed herself. Her heart was racing, but not because of some of the memories she now regained, but because of the close contact she had with the fox prince.

    ''Calm down, heart. These are not my feelings. These are Nexi''s.''

    She watched him as he strolled towards the bed and grabbed the towel.

    "Thank you," she softly said.

    He turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. She pointed at the towel and smiled.

    "For helping me get better. Thank you."

    He stood in front of her.

    "What exactly happened to you?"

    She cleared her throat as her brain worked hard to come up with an excuse.

    "Well," she began, "lately, I haven''t been feeling so well. I''ve been getting these weird headaches. No, headache is not even the word for it. My head just starts hurting out of nowhere. I don''t know why."

    He crossed his arms. Seeing her this vulnerable made him want to embrace her again, but he knew she would not allow him to do so. Her face right now was as red as a tomato. This was clearly the face of someone who felt embarrassed and ashamed.

    "What about your body glowing? It''s the first time I''ve seen that happen to you," he said, curiosity in his voice.

    She bit her lip, unsure of how to answer that. It was not like she even knew the answer to that. She was just as confused as he was. How would she explain that to him? Her action of biting her lip caused a stir inside him. The action aroused an emotion he never knew he had. It was not like he was in love with her.

    He was only marrying her because of his royal duty as the oldest son of the Kuba family. They both knew that this was an arranged marriage, a marriage of convenience. Although he was unhappy when his father gave him the news of this marriage, he still obeyed his father and agreed to it.

    When he had first met Nexi, he felt no romantic feelings for her. He just found her burdensome and hated how much of a pushover she was. She was always keeping her feelings bottled up, never expressing any anger towards her predicament. That really irritated him. So what was different now? Why was he beginning to feel this way all of a sudden?

    "Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

    He shook his head and walked towards the bathroom, hanging the now dry towel on the railing. He stood in front of the small mirror and stared at his reflection.

    ''What''s so different now? Why do I have the sudden urge to possess everything that is her? Why do I want to protect her and keep her to myself?''

    All these questions kept flooding his mind, and he sighed.

    ''Whatever. Let''s not think too much of it.''

    He walked out of the bathroom and saw her moving her suitcase to the closet. Her back was turned, and he noticed how slender her shoulders were and how every part of her covered body was absolutely perfect. She turned and smiled at him. The smile caused his heart to flutter.

    "I should go wash my face," she said, walking past him and into the bathroom.

    He sat down on the bed and waited for her. When she walked out, she smiled at him again. He wanted to be the only one to see that smile, for that smile to belong to him and nobody else.

    "Please don''t tell your family about what happened," she pleaded as she stood in front of him, staring down at him with her cobalt eyes.

    He resisted the urge to pull her towards him and hold her in his arms.

    "Understood, but you still did not tell me why your body suddenly glowed like that. I mean, I know you have the Silver Ocean, but it''s not like you were using it, so why?"

    She mentally ''tsked'' as she was hoping he would not ask her about that again. How was she supposed to answer that? She, herself, did not know why.

    "I don''t know how to answer that," she said.

    "Because you don''t know why that happened?" he asked.

    She nodded. He understood and stood up, strectching his hand out for her to hold. She stared at his hand, wondering if she should hold it or not.

    ''Did Nexi always hold his hand? If she did not, and she held his hand, would he not be suspicious of her? Was she maybe overthinking this?''

    She mentally groaned, and he watched as she looked hesitant.

    ''Although Nexi''s memories came back, it''s not all of them. Why did I not get at least one memory of how she interacted with this man?''

    He watched as she continued to stare at his hand, unsure of whether to take it.

    "Relax, my hand doesn''t have invisible teeth, so your hand won''t get bitten," he said teasingly.

    He could not resist teasing her as it was just too tempting and fun. She lifted her head to look at him.

    "Ah, right. Of course," she said, placing her hand in his, which brought a smile to his face.

    "Let''s go," he said, "my family must be wondering what''s taking us so long."

    She nodded, and he opened the door. They walked out of the room and headed to the dining room, hand in hand. Her heart was racing the whole time. This was the first time she ever held a man''s hand. Due to her work as a policewoman, she had no time for things like dating or hanging out with friends.

    Heck, she barely had friends due to her busy schedule. Her only friends were Jigger and Stan. This was all too foreign to her, and because of what she was feeling, she concluded that it was Nexi''s feelings and emotions, not hers. Her heart was racing because Nexi might have actually loved this fox.

    ''Yes, that has to be it.''

    She stared at their entwined hands and looked at him. He turned to face her and smiled in a warm manner which caused her to smile back.

    ''Yes, these are definitely not my feelings.''

 Chapter 29 - F Is For Family

    Yashiro opened the door and found that everyone was already seated and waiting for them.

    "What took you guys so long?" Ai whined.

    Astoria immediately let go of his hand and smiled.

    "Geez, it''s not like you''ll starve to death, little fox," he teased her, walking to her side and ruffling her hair.

    She pouted at her brother and pushed his hand away. The king and queen laughed. Astoria noticed that Yashiro''s brother, Yoshito, was seated next to his sister.

    "Hi, princess Nexi. Glad to see you again," he said warmly.

    "Hi," she replied, walking to her seat, "You too."

    She sat across Ai, with Yashiro next to her. Looking at him, he smiled at her. Blushing lightly, she quickly directed her gaze away from him.

    "Well then," the king began, "since everyone is seated. How about we dig in before my daughter complains again that she is starving."

    Everyone laughed at that statement and began dishing for themselves. Yashiro was a real gentleman, dishing out food for Astoria, who just watched his odd behaviour. It was odd because no man had ever dished for her before, except for her father, but we all know that does not count.

    "Here you go, princess," he said, placing her food in front of her.

    "Uh, thanks," she said, grabbing her knife and fork.

    ''Calm down, my heart. No, Nexi''s heart. Calm the hell down. Geez!''

    He smiled at her, and everyone started eating. This meal was different from the meal she had back in the palace. Here, everyone was chatting and laughing. The ambiance was certainly pleasant, and she found herself instantly calm and comfortable. She felt like she was one with the Kuba family.

    She would often catch the black-haired fox, Yashiro, stealing a glance at her before turning away. For the first time in his life, he felt delighted to sit next to her, to a woman. He was never a fox that was interested in things like dating or marriage.

    He was more focused on his work, but something changed inside him when he met Nexi this time around. Seeing the beautiful princess sitting next to him and laughing with his family made his heart flutter. When they were done eating, the king said he had something to tell her. She watched as he stood up.

    "The reason we wanted you to come and stay with us for the weekend," he began, "was because tomorrow is the Festival of Paint."

    "The Festival of Paint?" she asked the king, confusion plastered on her face.

    "Yes," Ai responded, "Everyone knows this festival. I''m sure you heard of it. It''s celebrated here in Chesropis."

    Although she got some of her memories back, there were a few things she still could not remember. One of those things was this festival that is so well-known.

    "It''s a festival which is celebrated every nine months. It''s more like a holiday," Yoshito added.

    She nodded, but Yashiro saw that she really had no clue what they were talking about.

    "It''s a holiday that''s celebrated with great pleasure here in Chesropis," the fox began explaining.

    She was grateful that someone was explaining it. However, she was worried they would be suspicious of her not knowing about such an auspicious holiday in her fianc��''s kingdom, mainly since she would be marrying into this family.

    "Basically, it''s associated with outdoor food parties, togetherness, fun, and dressing up like royalty. It''s celebrated for two days, starting tomorrow. I''m sure the citizens have already begun decorating their stalls by now."

    The king nodded in response.

    "We wanted you to be here with us when we begin the celebrations, Nexi. You will be part of our family, after all," the queen added, smiling.

    The queen''s smile broadened, and a dimple appeared. Her smile warmed Astoria''s eyes.

    "It sounds like a lot of fun," Astoria said, "especially the dressing up part where we will all look like royalty."

    She actually found that interesting, and she was curious about how the holiday would turn out. Ai nodded enthusiastically.

    "It is called the Festival of Paint because artists get to showcase and sell their paintings. I''m gonna be selling some of mine tomorrow, so I''m the most excited one out of everyone here!" the young fox exclaimed, happiness radiating off her.

    "If you don''t mind, is it okay if I help you with that?" she asked the fox princess.

    Ai wanted to nod immediately, but she immediately paused when she looked past her and noticed her older brother, Yashiro, sending her signals. It was as if he was saying, ''Don''t even think of agreeing. I''m planning on spending time with her tomorrow.'' A cold sweat rolled down her neck.

    "Hahaha," she laughed awkwardly, "no, no, I''ll be fine. You spend time with my brother. I''m sure y''all have a lot to discuss."

    Astoria felt a bit disappointed by Ai''s reply. Looking at Ai''s gaze, she saw that the fox was looking at her brother, who was intently staring at her with a triumphant smile. When he saw her stare at him, his expression changed to a neutral one, and she realised what was going on between the siblings.

    ''Ah, I see what''s happening. So he wants to spend time with me tomorrow, and that can''t happen if I''m helping Ai with her paintings? But I don''t think I want to be close to him. I might get a heart attack.''

    "I prepared a lovely dress for Ai and Nexi," the queen said, a hint of excitement in her voice.

    "Ah, can''t we pick our own dresses?" Ai pouted, her arms crossed.

    "Hey, I''m sure mother picked lovely dresses for the both of you," Yoshito said.

    Ai sighed and stood up.

    "Guess it can''t be helped. On that note, I''m gonna go to the art room and finish my paintings. Bye!"

    With that, Ai quickly left the room. The atmosphere felt strange and uncomfortable as the queen looked disappointed at her daughter''s reaction to preparing their dresses for tomorrow.

    "Don''t take it to heart, dear," the king said, trying to comfort her.

    "Yes, mother," Yashiro added, "I''m sure Ai was just excited about picking out her own dress. You know how she likes dressing up for such occasions."

    Their mother appeared to sulk for a moment, then grew thoughtful.

    "I can''t help but pick a dress for her. She''s just so cute and adorable. She''s my baby," she said.

    "But she''s capable of picking her own clothes. You treat her too much like a baby," Yashiro said, shaking his head.

    "Yashiro is right. Let her make her own decisions sometimes. You spoil her too much," the younger brother added.

    "But she''s my baby," the queen said again, softly grumbling.

    Watching the scene in front of her, Astoria let out a soft laugh. Her laugh was short and low. It felt good to laugh after the events that had happened to her this week. The queen somehow looked adorable as she pouted at the remarks of her two sons. Hearing her laugh, everyone turned to face her. She looked at them, nervous and a bit awkward.

    "Ah, sorry," she said softly, "It''s just that seeing this kind of interaction really made my heart warm. It reminded me of my mother."

    She was really reminded of her mother, who had died of cancer when she was eighteen. Her mother was just like this queen fox, always babying her and wanting to spoil her. She was the kindest person she had ever known, forever supporting her in whatever dreams she had. When her dad had told her that she was diagnosed with cancer, she had felt like her whole world had been broken.

    Losing her mother would be like losing herself, so the day she heard the news of her mother''s passing, her whole world had turned from colourful and extraordinary to colourless and mundane. She had gone into depression for a few months. Thanks to Stan, she was able to find some happiness again when he suggested she take the police exam since she was into crime documentaries and murder mysteries.

    "I see," the queen said, standing up and walking to her.

    She clasped her hands with Astoria''s. Everyone probably thought she meant Nexi''s mother since she was now the princess, and they both had lost their mothers.

    "From now on, you''ll be my second daughter. I hope you understand that I have begun to care for you just as much as I care for Ai," the queen said, smiling and staring at her.

    Her heart felt warm after hearing the sincerity in the queen''s voice. She smiled back and nodded.

    "Thank you, Mrs.. Kuba."

 Chapter 30 - Painting Of Two Hearts

    Once everyone had left the dining room, Yashiro and Astoria were the only ones left. She just stared at him, unsure of what to say.

    "Why are you staring at me like that? Am I excessively handsome?" he teasingly asked her.

    She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

    "Hmm, maybe," she sarcastically said, pretending to scan him, "Maybe just a little."

    He laughed at her comment.

    "That kinda hurts, but at least you think I''m a little handsome."

    She shrugged again, and they walked out of the room.

    "Listen," he said as he walked her to their room, "I have a meeting to get to, so I''ll see you later, princess."

    He bowed and began to walk away.

    "Wait!" she exclaimed, grabbing his arm.

    He froze at her touch. It was the first time she had ever taken the initiative to touch him. Although the action probably meant nothing to her, it meant something to him. She stared at her hand and immediately let go of him.

    She rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment.

    "Um, w-well I," she stammered.

    He just stared at her, amused at her nervousness and curious as to why she stopped him.

    "You what?" he asked her, urging her to finish her sentence.

    "What meeting do you have to get to? What do y''all have to discuss?"

    His gray eyes stared at her beautiful face. He could not answer that question because the matter was highly confidential. It would raise concern if it were to get out to the public, although the public knows very little about the matter.

    "I''m sorry, princess," he replied, "but I can''t discuss the agenda of the meeting. It''s highly confidential."

    "Oh," was all she could say as disappointment washed over her.

    She hoped to join him in the meeting since she was bored, but mainly because she wanted to know the matters of this kingdom so that she knew what she was marrying into. Well, what Nexi was marrying into. Still, she knew it would be impossible since she was not part of this kingdom yet and had no business getting involved in the kingdom''s matters and affairs.

    "Listen," the black-haired fox said, walking towards her.

    She instantly froze as he stood in front of her and began playing with her hair.

    "Nexi, I know you must be bummed that we can''t spend time together right now-"

    "What? T-that''s not-"

    He silenced her by placing his finger on her lips. Her eyes widened at the sudden motion. Blood raced up her neck, warming her cheeks.

    "You don''t have to deny it," he continued, smiling his killer smile.

    She moved his finger away from her lips and backed a few steps away from him. He laughed at her action and began to walk away from her.

    "Anyway, don''t worry," he said, "you can have me all to yourself tonight in our bedroom."

    With that, he gave her a wink and a mischievous smile. He disappeared, leaving her standing speechless in the hallway.

    "What the hell? T-tonight? This guy is nuts," she mumbled to herself, softly slapping her cheeks and telling herself to get ahold of herself.

    Unsure of what to do with herself, she decided to find Ai. She headed for the Art room, asking the maidservants for directions along the way. When she arrived at the Art room, she found the fox dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. The fox''s cheeks were covered with paint marks, and her t-shirt had paint stains all over it. Seeing Astoria standing by the door, the fox''s face instantly lit up.

    "Nexi!" she exclaimed, "Don''t just stand there. Come on in."

    Astoria walked into the room and was quickly hit with the smell of paint. She stood beside Ai and almost gasped at her painting. The gray-eyed fox had painted a picture depicting a sorrowful and tragic love story between two men. One man had his heart in his hand and offered it to the other man. His eyes had tears. The background of the painting had black flames which surrounded both men.

    "Wow," she breathed out, staring keenly at the picture in awe and wonder.

    "You like it? I call it the Painting Of Two Hearts. It depicts the love story between two men, and their love is shunned by the community. The black flames represent the community," the fox spoke proudly.

    "You''re really talented, Ai. If I had money and was one of the tourists who will be in this kingdom tomorrow, I would buy this painting."

    The fox blushed and stared at her painting.

    "You don''t think it''s weird that it''s, you know, two men?" she questioned Astoria.

    "Not at all. Love is love, and one cannot choose who their heart beats for," she told the fox who looked delighted at her answer.

    Ai was overjoyed and placed her paintbrush on the small table next to the easel.

    "Hey," she said, a bright smile on her face, "wanna go into the city? I''m sure you must be bored since my brother can''t spend time with you right now. He is a busy man."

    A smile of delight lit up Astoria''s eager face, and she agreed.

    When they had reached the city, it was buzzing with a variety of creatures and tourists. Some owners were decorating their stalls with colourful decorations as they prepared their stalls for tomorrow''s festival.

    "Wow," she gasped, astonished by the beautiful and colourful decorations and the bustle of the city.

    "Pretty impressive, huh?" Ai asked proudly.

    She nodded and watched as little foxes headed towards a sweet shop, trotting forward as fast as their short legs could carry them. She found them very adorable, with their tiny ears and short tails. There were foxes of various colours she never knew existed. As she observed the little foxes running towards that shop, one little fox carrying a small pink basket full of rose flowers unexpectedly crashed into her.

    The little fox fell, causing the roses in her small basket to fall to the ground. She quickly hurried to her side and helped her stand up while Ai grabbed the flowers and put them back in the basket lying across the other side of the ground. Astoria dusted the dirt off of the little fox''s clothes. What was once the little fox''s white t-shirt was now stained with dirt marks. Her pants were also covered in dirt smudges.

    "Are you okay, little one?" she asked, holding the fox''s tiny hand.

    The fox was wearing a red bandana around her neck. When she nodded, the bandana tilted a bit, allowing her to notice the fox had bruises on her neck. Her policewoman senses instantly kicked in, and she became concerned about the little fox. She was an adorable fox with large light brown eyes and white hair, making her pretty face stand out.

    "I''m o-okay. Sorry about that," the fox immediately bowed and took her basket, which Ai had given back to her.

    "Are you selling these roses?" Ai asked the little fox.

    "T-these?" the fox stammered, staring at the roses, "Not today, but tomorrow. My granny and I plan to sell them to tourists so that we can make money for her oral surgery."

    "Oral surgery?" Astoria asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

    "Oh!" the little fox exclaimed, realising what she had just disclosed, "I wasn''t supposed to tell anyone this."

    Astoria smiled and stooped down so that she could be at the same height as the fox.

    "What''s your name, little fox?" she inquired.

    The fox looked at her, her light brown eyes scanning the kind, strange woman in front of her.

    "Granny said I shouldn''t talk to strangers, ma''am, let alone tell them my name," the little fox uttered.

    Astoria chuckled at her firm statement.

    "Well, aren''t you a cute and smart little fox," she said warmly.

 Chapter 31 - Crossing The Boundary

    "Don''t worry," she continued, "I''m not exactly a stranger. I''m Princess Nexi of the Ashen Kingdom, and she is Princess Ai of this kingdom."

    She pointed to Ai, who smiled and waved at the little fox.

    "Oh, it''s Princess Ai!" the little fox exclaimed, "I''m so sorry. I didn''t notice it was you. My name is Lara. Lara Marbita."

    "That''s a beautiful name, Lara. Tell you what," Astoria said, smiling warmly at her, "I promise to find you tomorrow and buy a lot of your beautiful flowers."

    "Really?" Lara asked, delighted to hear such fantastic news that would help her grandmother.

    Astoria nodded.

    "Me too!" Ai chimed in with a thumbs up.

    In excitement, Lara jumped up and down and bowed multiple times while repeatedly saying, "Thank you."

    "Okay, Lara. Now make sure you get home safely to your grandma. We''ll see you tomorrow, okay?"

    Lara nodded and bowed one last time, then headed home, skipping to a tune that she lightly hummed. Astoria stood up and crossed her arms, a motherly smile plastered on her face.

    "Oooh," Ai said, nudging her, "someone loves kids."

    She laughed at the remark and shrugged. She had always loved kids, and seeing Lara''s neck made her worried about the little fox. She knew that something was wrong and, although it was not her place to meddle in other people''s affairs, she could not help it. She suspected that the little fox was being abused at home either by her grandmother or someone else.

    "Anyway," Ai added, "let me show you where my stand will be."

    They walked past several other kitsune''s who were busy putting up their stalls or decorating their houses. After walking for about five minutes, Ai stopped.

    "Here we are," the fox said, pointing at an empty spot next to a sweet shop called Sweet Delights.

    "After careful consideration, I decided I will place it right here."

    She looked at the fox and then at the empty spot.

    "What careful consideration?" Astoria asked, staring at the empty spot and then at Sweet Delights.

    Ai smiled at her.

    "Well," she began explaining, walking back and forth, "since the weather will be hot tomorrow, tourists and kitsune''s are more likely to buy things like ice cream and sweets from this sweet shop. When they come out of the shop, they can enjoy their sweets while admiring my paintings."

    The fox smiled proudly as she nodded to herself how brilliant her idea was. Astoria laughed at her explanation and found the princess to be quite cute.

    "I see," Astoria responded, "well, I hope you get to sell a lot of paintings. I''ll buy a painting from you tomorrow."

    Ai laughed and looked at the spot where her stand was gonna be. She was extremely excited about the festival and could not wait to show her paintings to everyone.

    "We should get going," Astoria said, suddenly rubbing her hands together.

    "Are you feeling cold?"

    She could not answer the question immediately as she was unsure why her body had suddenly begun to lose warmth. It was as if a ghost had gone through her.

    "I-I don''t know, but..." she paused and looked around, hoping to maybe see what was making her feel this way.

    "Something is wrong," she said softly to herself.

    Ai looked at her, a confused and concerned look on her face.

    "Okay, let''s head back to the palace," Ai said, "maybe you''re still tired from the long journey."

    Astoria froze as she looked at a dark alley. The alley was across the sweet shop, and it was rather creepy when one looked at it. Many kitsunes walked past the dark alley, and they all stared at it. When they walked past it, their bodies began to slouch.

    "Hey Ai," she said, not taking her eyes off of the alley.

    "Yeah," Ai responded, a hint of fear in her voice when she saw the direction of Astoria''s gaze.

    "Don''t you find it strange that we cannot see everyone''s face when they walk past the alley? Also, their bodies begin to slouch once they are past the alley."

    "It''s like there''s something there," Ai softly said, "slowly sucking their life force or energy."

    They looked at each other, fear evident on their faces.

    "Let''s get out of here," Ai suggested.

    The fox watched as her brother''s fianc�� continued to stare at the alley. She scanned Astoria''s face and immediately held her hand.

    "Don''t even think about it, Astoria," she said, causing the princess to stare at her.

    "Think what?" Astoria asked.

    "Don''t play dumb. I know that look," Ai said with a sigh.

    "Ah, I''m just curious," Astoria responded, "I mean, aren''t you curious as to what could be there?"

    Ai shook her head.

    "Everyone in the Kingdom knows that I''m a curious fox, but that there," she said, pointing at the alley, "that I''m not in the slightest bit curious about. For all we know, there could be a dangerous monster there. We will head back to the palace and inform my parents about it."

    Astoria was not having it and, freeing herself from the fox''s grasp, slowly walked towards the alley.

    "Astoria, no!" Ai screamed in horror.

    When she was right in front of the alley, she heard a rustle and the sound of a trash can falling. Since the alley was unusually dark for her to see anything, she remembered that the king had given her a leather book filled with spells.

    ''Surely it has some spell that would let me summon some light or fire so that I can see what is in this alley.''

    "Vexati," she softly said, and the book appeared, "Let''s see, a fire should help. Fire."

    The pages of the leather book began to turn, and as they turned, she kept a close eye on the alley, just in case some monster would pop up and attack her. The pages stopped turning, and she saw there was a spell to conjure fire. Softly uttering the words written on the page, a light fire appeared on her left hand.

    ''Just like a torch. Perfect.''

    "Astoria? Don''t go in there. Come back here!" she heard Ai call out to her.

    She ignored the fox and stepped into the alley. When she stepped in, it was as if she had crossed into a boundary that enclosed her off from the outside world. The air in the alley almost made her throw up as it smelled putrid, like rotten corpses and fungi.

    "What the hell?" she whispered as she covered her nose with her right hand, not wanting to smell the putrid smell anymore.

    She scanned the alley and, to her horror, found skeletons of creatures and kitsunes lying next to the trash can. She almost threw up again when she saw that some of the skeletons still had bits of flesh and hair on them.

    ''What is this place?''

    As she carried on walking, she immediately froze when she heard an evil and high chuckle. She looked around, but all she could see were a few dead bodies and trash cans.

    "Well, well, well," she heard a raspy female voice utter, "who do we have here?"

 Chapter 32 - Dangerous Obsession

    She gawked at the creature in shock. It had the body of a genetically modified spider with a woman''s face and sat on a regal throne of stones. The throne was covered in nothing but labyrinthine sculptures, and a gem-encrusted spider head was fixed on each of the front legs.

    "W-who and what are you?" she asked the creature.

    The spider woman eyed her with a dull expression.

    "I should be asking you that since you stepped into my boundary."

    Astoria''s hand covered her nose because of the stench of rotten corpses lying everywhere. A gust of wind blew past, and the woman rose from her throne.

    "I asked who you are. Are you just going to keep quiet and stare at me? If you won''t speak," the woman said, "I. Will. Eat.You."

    As she said the last part, a strong gravitational force pushed Astoria down, causing her to painfully land on her knees. She strained her muscles as she attempted to get up, but it was futile.

    "Well?" the woman inquired again, casually marching towards her.

    "I''m Princess Nexi," Astoria promptly answered.

    The force pushed her down further. She groaned as she felt like the oxygen was slowly being sucked out of her lungs. She glared at the woman who had an eery grin as she walked towards her, hips swaying from side to side.

    "Princess Nexi?" she asked, a hand on her chin as she tried to remember where she heard that name from.

    She finally stood in front of the princess and crouched down to her level. Up close, Astoria could see the spider woman''s appearance. For a spider, the woman looked very curvaceous with her silky sky-blue hair. She had an hourglass figure with a beautiful yet conniving face and crystal clear eyes with a mole under her left eye.

    "Ah, that''s it!" the dark blue-haired spider woman said, her face lighting up at the realisation.

    "I remember now. Oh my," she continued, "You do know there''s a hefty price for your body, right?"

    "What are you-"

    "The Dark Lord, or as some like to call him, the Lord of Darkness is searching for you. Judging from your facial expression," she said, her head tilted to the side, "I''m guessing you do not know who the Dark Lord is, or you do know, but you just do not know that is his name is."

    Astoria could not utter a single word as she stared up at the spider woman who was gently stroking her silky sky-blue hair.

    "The Dark Lord is the smokey fella. Well," the woman giggled, "he would kill me if he heard me call him a ''fella''. Anyway, I was so excited when I saw that something had stepped into my boundary."

    She suddenly yanked Astoria''s hair, and her crystal eyes began to darken. Pain spread throughout Astoria''s body.

    "I was hoping it was a male creature since I''m rather hungry right now, but alas," she pulled Astoria closer to her face, "it''s a female. You see, I''m obsessed with eating the souls of men."

    Her obsession revealed why Astoria had noticed that most of the corpses were male.

    "Sometimes females enter my boundary, but their souls are just not tantalising. You, on the other hand..."

    She paused and licked her lips, a glint of hunger in her eyes.

    "Your soul is rather interesting, though. Not to mention delicious."

    She let go of Astoria''s hair, and the gravitational force that was pushing her down disappeared. Astoria quickly stood up and called out for the magic book. She had to think of a plan to escape this boundary and go back to the palace.

    "Oh, what is that book? Am I supposed to be afraid?" the woman asked her, a chuckle escaping her blue lips.

    ''Judging from the dark energy I''m sensing in this place, I doubt the spells I have will be effective, so I''ll just try to stay alive and escape.''

    "Listen here, princess, I ought to capture you and hand you over to the Lord of Darkness, but," she paused, "I won''t do that because I loathe men."

    "What are you talking about?" she questioned the woman.

    The spider woman casually sauntered back to her throne and sat down. She watched Astoria with a bored expression.

    "Firstly, let me introduce myself. My name is Saxhish. I''m a Spiderfolk known as the ''Lover of Men'' because I am obsessed with them, as you can tell from the corpses. You see," she began, a smile on her lips.

    "The souls of men are extremely tainted. They have deep dark secrets. I''ve seen things one could never imagine. Dark things and the evil deeds they had done or desired to commit. That''s why I prefer their souls since they are rich in dark energy, something I live off on."

    She crossed her arms and leaned forward.

    "You, princess," she continued, "I see a little darkness in you."

    "Darkness in me? What are you talking about?" Astoria asked.

    Saxhish shrugged and leaned back.

    "There''s a little evil in you, but it''s not enough to make me want to eat you, although I only eat the souls of men. If I see a woman whose soul is dark enough, I do indulge myself, but that is a rare occurrence."

    Saxhish loudly sighed and rubbed her tummy.

    "So damn hungry! Now be on your way. Shoo shoo."

    "You''re letting me go?" Astoria asked in bewilderment.

    Saxhish, already bored with her, got up and walked towards her. She grabbed Astoria''s arm and dragged her to the edge of the boundary.

    "I''m letting you go because you are of no interest to me. I don''t even care about the bounty on your head. I don''t care about the Dark Lord."

    "I''m grateful that you are letting me go, but this," Astoria pointed at the dead corpses, " this is entirely wrong. This is murder. As much as these men are evil, as you say, they still have families waiting for them, missing them. Please stop this and-"

    Saxhish growled, and suddenly Astoria was pinned to the ground. The spider woman got on top of her, licking her own lips as her eyes, which had earlier turned back to normal, turned dark again. Her lips twisted into a crooked smile.

    "Honey," she began as Astoria struggled to free herself from her firm grasp, "what I do is my business. These men are trash, and I feed off trashy men, so just go and pretend we never even met because the next time I see you again..."

    Saxhish paused and slowly moved her head down. Astoria felt cold lips on her neck and, without warning, was bitten by her. Her eyes felt heavy, and her vision was blurry. In an instant, she was out cold. Saxhish stood up and clicked her tongue.

    "Such a bothersome woman," she said as she held the princess and pushed her out of her boundary.

    Ai had called her Yashiro the moment Astoria had disappeared into the boundary. No matter how hard they tried, they could not pass through it. It was as if their access was blocked. While they continued to try out different means of entering the boundary to save Astoria, they saw her body slowly emerging from the darkness and falling to the floor.

    "Astoria!" Yashiro yelled, running to her side.

    He noticed that she was sweating and was unconscious. Ai crouched next to her brother and stared at her with a worried expression.

    "We need to get her back to the palace right now," her brother stated, alarm in his voice.

    "It''s okay, Astoria," he softly stated, " You will be okay.. I''ll make sure of it."

 Chapter 33 - Expressions

    As the royal doctor, Doctor Xion, explained Astoria''s current condition, Yashiro listened with a troubled expression.

    "It appears she was bitten, as you can tell from the bite mark on her neck," the doctor began.

    "The venom from whatever bit her causes one to be unconscious. Thankfully she will be alright because whatever bit her only secreted enough venom to put her to sleep, not to kill her."

    Yashiro stared at Astoria''s sleeping body. Even asleep, the princess still looked lovely and elegant. He was absolutely captivated by her beauty this time. He knew that he was in too deep now. When he got the call from Ai regarding what had happened to the princess, he ran out of the meeting in a hurry, leaving his colleagues speechless and confused.

    Judging from what he had seen when he arrived on the scene, he knew that it was the creature that had been terrorising the city for the last two months. The meeting that he could not tell Astoria about earlier was connected to Saxhish, the spider woman. His father had found out from countless reports of terrified citizens that family members, friends, or neighbours were disappearing. Such disappearances were caused by an unknown creature in a dark alley.

    This creature only lured men into its boundary, and the case of a woman disappearing was extremely rare. Yashiro had discussed this issue with the royal guards and the Minister of Defence to devise ways to annihilate the creature. However, all their methods and suggestions proved to be futile, and, in return, many lives were lost. He hated what was happening in the kingdom and felt useless as there seemed to be nothing he and his people could do to get rid of the creature.

    That was until Astoria arrived. She was the sole survivor to enter the creature''s boundary and come out alive. To him, she was the only one who could explain what was inside the boundary, the appearance of the creature and if she noticed its weaknesses. He placed his hand on top of hers and looked at the doctor.

    "I have given her an injection that will eliminate the venom inside her. Although the venom is of a small dose, it is still quite powerful, so it will take a while to completely get rid of."

    "How long is ''a while'', Doctor Xion?" he asked the doctor.

    "About five to six hours maximum," the doctor answered, "however, you should not worry as princess Nexi will be alright. She''s not in any danger. Now, if you''ll excuse me."

    Yashiro thanked the doctor, who bowed and left the room. Ai and her parents entered, distress written all over their faces.

    "Oh Nexi," Ai softly sniffed, tears escaping her eyes, "I should have tried harder to stop you. No, I should have followed you at least."

    Ai stared at the ground, a look of shame and regret on her face. Her parents stood by her side and comforted her.

    "It''s okay, Ai," her brother said, a sad smile on his lips.

    "Yeah, it''s not your fault, sweety," the queen added.

    "If her family finds out about this," the king said, rubbing his temple in frustration and worry.

    "We really need to do something. This creature is murdering citizens, and Nexi is our only hope to stopping it once and for all."

    Everyone looked at the king and then at Astoria, who was sound asleep, her chest rising and falling with every breath.

    "We''re glad that she is okay," the queen said, "Okay, let''s give them some space."

    She ushered her husband out the room and she left with him, leaving Ai with her brother and Astoria.

    "Hey," Ai said, "make sure to let me know when she wakes up, alright?"

    Yashiro nodded and smiled at his younger sister. She smiled back and nodded, leaving the room. He turned back to the woman who was sound asleep and softly breathing. He wiped her forehead, which was beaded with sweat. Caressing her cheek, he frowned as he thought of the creature that did this to her. His gray eyes turned dark, and his teeth became sharp as he softly growled in a menacing tone. He was extremely frustrated and angry.

    He vowed to rip the creature that did this to his fianc�� into shreds. How dare anyone or anything harm his soon-to-be wife? This was the last straw for him. This time, they were going to kill this creature and restore peace to the kingdom once again. He sighed as his anger subsided. There was a knock on the door, and Yoshito entered, a cup of green tea in his hand.

    "Have this, brother," he said, handing him the tea. It will calm your nerves."

    Yoshito stared down at Astoria and sighed in exasperation. He was also worried about the state of his sister-in-law and the many disappearances that had occurred in the kingdom as a result of this unknown creature.

    "How is she?" he asked his older brother.

    Yashiro turned and gazed up at him. His younger brother saw the troubled expression on his face and was almost shocked at his older brother''s expression. His older brother never cared about princess Nexi, as he once told him that he was just marrying her because of the deal made by their parents. His brother had said that he had no interest in marriage and no feelings for the princess.

    If that was, and still is, the case, then what is this unusual expression on his older brother''s face? Did his brother have a change of heart, or is all this an act? No, Yoshito did not sense that his brother was pretending to worry. His brother was sincerely worried about the princess. Did his brother suddenly develop feelings for her?

    "Doctor Xion said that she''ll be fine in about five to six hours and that she is not in any danger," his older brother stated, cutting him off of his thoughts.

    "That''s great," he responded, "I''m super relieved."

    Yashiro nodded and stared at the princess again in mute silence, his expression sad and worried.

    "Yeah," the older fox softly agreed, "it''s really great."

    Yoshito blinked in surprise and internally smiled. He was happy that someone could melt the cold heart of his older brother. He said his last words and left the room. There was silence in the room except for Astoria''s soft breathing. She was in a deep sleep and was having a dream. In her dream, she stood in a field of sunflowers. It was a clear and sunny day. Suddenly flocks of tweeting bright birds circled her. The birds chirruped and cooed, and the melody of it softened her heart and brought a smile to her face.

    They were the most beautiful and colourful birds she had ever seen. She outstretched her arms and was over the moon when some of them perched on her shoulders. She twirled and laughed. Her legs tangled in the process of her twirl, causing her to lose her balance. She fell to the ground with a soft thud. Gentle hands lifted her from the ground, and she buried her face into the unknown entity before her. Somehow, the entity made her feel safe.

    "My child," she heard the entity coo in a calming voice she had no idea could exist.

 Chapter 34 - An Encounter With A Goddess Part 1

    "W-who are you?" she stammered, slowly backing away from the entity.

    Although the entity caused her to feel safe, she was on high alert, especially after her encounter with Saxhish. For all she knew, this might be a trap or some magic spell conjured by Saxhish or, worse, the Dark Lord. She quickly scanned her surroundings, but nothing about it was suspicious.

    ''No, this entity could provide this kind of surrounding to throw me off, so let''s not get too comfortable. Activate your fight or flight mode and fight like your life depends on it if this entity attempts to harm you, Astoria.''

    "Do not be so uneasy, my child," the entity expressed.

    Suddenly, the flock of colourful birds flew to the ground, and, gradually, a curvaceous figure materialised. The figure appeared as shiny as a new pin and as elegant as a swan. It was a woman. She further seemed as innocent as a dove but, at the same time, as dangerous as the foamy race of ocean surges.

    She had eyes as dark blue as the deepest and darkest parts of the ocean. When she smiled, good heavens, it was almost blinding! Her smile was was like a sudden beam of sunlight that could illuminate the darkest corners of any room. She clasped her hands together and tilted her head.

    "Again, you do not have to be afraid of me or so uneasy, Nexi," the woman declared.

    "After all," she continued, "I''m the Goddess of the Silver Ocean, Lumina."

    Astoria suddenly came to a realisation that the woman did look familiar. It turned out it was the Goddess she had heard about from Keya. She stared at the Goddess in awe at her beauty and charisma. There was something about her that made Astoria stare in amazement. Perhaps it was the charm and power she was exuding.

    The Goddess appeared different from the descriptions and illustrations Astoria had read and seen. This time, Lumina had auburn, straight hair tied in two buns. Shining blue eyes, set seductively within their sockets, watched her in delight.

    A tattoo resembling a silver flame was set on her right shoulder blade, leaving a reminder to anything and anyone of her extraordinary power. She wore a rainbow coloured dress that only barely covered her shoulders with two spaghetti straps. She had on a simple yet stylish necklace and several jeweled bracelets.

    Since it was a loose-fitting dress, it gave the dress a relaxed yet graceful look. Her arms were covered to just above her elbows. The sleeves broadened towards the bottom and playfully accentuated her skin. The dress waist was broad, but it was a tight fit and not decorated with anything to create the graceful, flowing look she loved.

    Below her waist, the dress widens and has a ruffle style towards the bottom. The dress reaches well above her ankles and is the same length all-around. She was wearing black ankle straps. No other shoe would have matched the dress better. To top it all off, she wore stylish flower-styled earrings.

    "Don''t mind my new and unfamiliar appearance because I''m trying a new look," Lumina declared after noticing Astoria staring at her new look.

    "That explains why I could not recognise you," Astoria nodded and said.

    Lumina smiled softly and ushered for her to follow behind her. She turned, and they walked towards what looked like an apple tree. As the Goddess approached the tree, a table with two elegantly styled chairs appeared. There were various snacks and desserts on the table, and there were two cups of tea.

    "Take a seat, little one," Lumina said as she sat down, pointing towards the empty chair opposite her.

    Astoria sat down and watched as Lumina took a sip of her tea. The cups on the table looked foreign. According to Astoria''s knowledge, the teacups looked like they were made in Japan. However, Japan did not exist in this world, so they were probably made in a similar place. Lumina held the cup with her right hand while supporting it from below with her left. All her fingers on her right hand were placed below the cup''s rim.

    "This is a teacup from Stimwedle. One of my favourite cities that is home to elves. It is well-known for its beautiful crockery, especially tea sets. I bought these three years ago, and they still work like a charm."

    Astoria listened to Lumina blabber on and on about crockery. She was unsure why she was even summoned here in the first place.

    ''Was I summoned here to listen to her talk about crockery?''

    After about five minutes of Astoria patiently waiting for Lumina to get to the point, Lumina paused and shook her head.

    "Oh dear," she gasped, "I''m so sorry. I must be boring you with this conversation. I tend to go off-topic a lot when it comes to crockery."

    "Ah, I see. Please tell me why I''m here," Astoria stated, her hands clasped together.

    "Of course."

    Lumina took another sip of her tea and placed the cup on the table. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward, a lovely yet cold smile on her face.

    "I noticed that you somewhat started using the Silver Ocean," the Goddess said.

    A gentle wind blew a few strands of Astoria''s hair. Yes, she had noticed that the power of the Silver Ocean appeared occasionally. Still, it was not as if she was actually using it. It made her body heat up most of the time, and sometimes she would feel nauseous.

    "I wouldn''t say I''m somewhat using it," Astoria said, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ears, "it feels more like it''s being switched on and off out and at random moments."

    "Yes, I''ve realised that. It''s quite disappointing that you have not fully activated it. Are you frightened? You do realise that you could have used it at that time when you encountered the orcs, right?"

    "Oh, is that so?" Astoria asked, alarmed.

    "I guess you are unaware," Lumina merely said and leaned back on her chair after grabbing a rose-pink macaron.

    "If you knew that, then why didn''t you help Nexi, I mean me, at that time? You could have helped me activate it or something so that I could prevent the queen and my mother''s deaths."

    The Goddess crossed her hands into an ''X'' and shook her head in total disagreement with Astoria''s statement.

    "In this world, I do not meddle in the affairs of creatures or humans. I believe that you guys are given free will. I bestowed upon you this great power because you are a strong and capable woman. This does not mean that I will help you activate it or interfere with your life."

    Astoria internally growled in frustration. If the Goddess had helped Nexi activate the Silver Ocean, maybe her mother would still be alive. Maybe she would never have had to face such a traumatic experience. Maybe she would not be living such a miserable life.

    She understood that the Goddess did not meddle in other people''s affairs, but is her not intervening indeed alright? I mean, she was the one who gave Nexi such a strong power. She found it ludicrous that Lumina had just observed such a horrible event unfold without doing a single thing.

    "You must have many thoughts running through your head," Lumina said after finishing her macaron.

    "I''m just that kind of Goddess. What you humans and creatures do has nothing to do with me. However, you not using the power I so graciously gave you is starting to not sit well with me."

    Suddenly the table began to violently shake. Astoria held on to the chair''s arms as the ground started to shake as well. She stared at the auburn-haired Goddess, who had a sudden glint in her blue eyes.

    "Do you not want the Silver Ocean, Nexi? Hmm, shall I take it back then?"

 Chapter 35 - An Encounter With A Goddess Part 2

    "No, don''t!" Astoria pleaded.

    She knew it was not her place to allow Lumina to take the Silver Ocean from her. Nexi should be the one to decide since the power was given to the young princess.

    "Good," Lumina grinned, compelling the tremors to stop.

    "Then you can possess it, but start using it. Do not fear it as I believe you will need it to destroy the Lord of Darkness."

    Astoria sighed in relief and ran her fingers lightly through her hair.

    "Do you know anything about the Dark Lord?" she asked the Goddess.

    "Let''s just say he is an enemy I assumed I had eliminated long ago. There was a war almost 1300 years ago, and he was a great supernatural being who was not as well known as he wanted to be. One day, he made a deal with Hades to wreak havoc upon the world."

    The Goddess stood up and began walking into the field of flowers. She followed suit and walked beside her, listening attentively to her story.

    "The deal was that he would become one of the Lord''s of Darkness in exchange for his soul. Of course, he was more than happy to sell his own soul for power, and so he did. Once that happened, he turned evil, opened the gates of Hell, and caused Hell''s demons to enter this world."

    Astoria was stunned. So many lives must have been lost because of him.

    "I gathered with other Gods and Goddesses to discuss what we could do to minimise the damage caused by those demons. We also discussed what we could to destroy the Dark Lord."

    Lumina stopped in her tracks, bent down, plucked a flower, and lightly placed it behind her ear. She stood up and smiled at Astoria.

    "What do you think?" she asked her, pointing at the flower behind her ear, "Looks pretty on me, right?"

    Astoria nodded, and the auburn-haired Goddess smiled, delighted at her response.

    "That''s when all of us merged our powers together into one, and the Silver Ocean was created. This power given to you is part of a variety of different powers."

    Lumina sighed.

    "Since Hades, the Dark Lord, and those darn demons can destroy everything they touch, we believed we could restore those things. I was also entrusted with killing the Dark Lord in the middle of all the chaos which was happening in the world."

    "Why you?" Astoria questioned, genuinely interested in why they gave Lumina the role of killing him.

    "I''m what you would call his ''opposite.'' You know like how there is fire and ice, light and darkness."

    The Goddess halted and stared at the clear, blue sky. The sky was as blue as a billionaire''s swimming pool.

    "I was the only one that could get close to him. So, I killed him, or at least, that''s what I thought I did. Alas, he''s alive, and you are the only one that can destroy him for good this time."

    She positioned her hand on Astoria''s right shoulder and grinned.

    "You need to finish what I couldn''t, Nexi. The Silver Ocean is the only power that can save this world."

    "I have no problem doing that, but I can''t even control it," Astoria stated with a sigh.

    Honestly, all this magic stuff frustrated her.

    "I''ve noticed that, so I''ll help you," Lumina declared as she moved her hand away from Astoria''s shoulder.

    "Position your right hand where your heart is," the Goddess instructed.

    She did as the Goddess instructed. Lumina placed her left hand on top of Astoria''s right hand. Suddenly, Astoria felt her hand and chest become warm as a surge of energy entered her body. This almost caused her to collapse.

    "Qeduthith de fos," Lumina repeatedly chanted, gradually running her index finger on Astoria''s left hand.

    Lumina drew a small, silver rune that looked like a snowflake on Astoria''s left hand. When she was done, the snowflake flickered in a silver hue, went dim, and then disappeared.

    "This is a rune called Hold. It will help you contain the Silver Ocean so that the power does not come out unexpectedly. That way, you won''t have to fret about unexpectedly fainting or glowing. You''ll be able to fully control and use it now."

    Astoria''s breath escaped her lungs in a quick sigh of relief when Lumina explained what she had done. She was now glad that she would be able to control the Silver Ocean and use it to protect Nexi''s family and herself.

    "Thank you, Lumina."

    She would also use it to protect this world from the destruction caused by the Dark Lord. After all, she needs this world to be in one piece and free from any chaos so that she can transmigrate back to her world.

    "One more thing," Lumina added, placing her hands on Astoria''s cheeks.

    She was dumbfounded at the goddess'' sudden act. Still, the feeling of her hands on her cheeks was actually reassuring. Lumina beamed and slightly bowed her head, causing their heads to gently touch.

    "Do not be afraid of this power. I have chosen you," she continued, slowly disappearing as she spoke, "because you are exceptional and powerful. You are the chosen one, so never ever doubt yourself. Believe in yourself and destiny."

    With that, the Goddess completely vanished, leaving Astoria all alone amidst the flowers. She took a minute to process everything she had been told by Lumina.

    "Alright," she said, gently slamming her fist to her chest, "I feel that I''ve been unproductive for too long, afraid of what people or creatures may think of my unusual behaviour all this time. "

    She glanced at the clear blue sky, her eyes conveying determination. At that moment, she told herself to act like herself from now on and not like Nexi. If anyone thought she was acting strange, she could always blame the amnesia.

    It was time for her to get to the bottom of this transmigration and sort out this whole mess she had gotten herself into. Although, technically, it was not her fault that she transmigrated.

    "Okay, Astoria," she whispered to herself, a troubled look on her face, "I cannot do this alone, so I will need help. A lot of help."

    Immediately after that statement, she woke up from her slumber. She realised she was in the bedroom and found Yashiro sitting on a chair next to the bed and sleeping. His hand was gently holding hers, as if fearful that if he did not, she would not wake up from her slumber caused by Saxhish''s venom.

    She blankly stared at their clasped hands and leaned towards him to look at his face closer. Sure enough, the prince was very handsome with his chiseled jawline and light pink lips. Staring at his hair, which seemed as soft as a cloud, she moved her hand over to it, tempted to touch it.

    She began to gently pat his head, smiling as she continued to stare at his sleeping figure. Boy, this fox prince has done it. He was really tugging at her heartstrings, and, honestly speaking, it felt both good and weird. She retracted her hand from his hair and softly sighed.

    ''Again, these are not my heartstrings, but Nexi''s. These are not your feelings but Nexi''s. Get it together, Astoria Chambers.''

    She tilted her head upwards, staring blankly at the ceiling.

    ''All of this because of Cosmo X.''

    She was in this mess because of them, and now, it might turn out to be Jigger, who was responsible. He might be the one who caused her death. The thought of it turning out to be true broke her heart, and she shivered, clutching her dress tightly.

    ''No, Jigger would never harm me. It has to be someone else, right?''

 Chapter 36 - Woman On A Mission

    Yashiro stirred in his sleep and woke up, his hand still holding hers. He found Astoria awake and staring at him. He quickly sat up and reached out his hand, placing it on her left cheek.

    "Nexi," he began, a look of worry on his face, "are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere? How are you feeling?"

    "Like I just got bitten by a spider," she joked, letting out a soft giggle.

    She only joked so that he would stop being worried since she was no longer in pain and felt a whole lot better. He sighed and smiled at her. It was the most dazzling smile she had ever seen. As dazzling as the sunrise.

    "Well, considering you have the energy to make jokes," he said, gently stroking her cheek, "I''m guessing you''re a whole lot better?"

    She nodded and sighed.

    "Sorry for causing you and your family to worry," she said, staring at their clasped hands.

    She looked back at him, and he nodded.

    "Don''t worry about it. I''m just glad you''re okay," Yashiro said with a soft sigh.

    "You''re dying to ask me questions, aren''t you? I can feel it," she said, causing him to move his hand away from her cheek.

    He crossed his arms and nodded.

    "I am, but I won''t for now. You are probably too traumatised by what happened, so I''ll let you rest up."

    He stood up from his chair and walked towards the door. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face Astoria. His gray eyes scanned her, and she found herself lost in those gray eyes.

    "If you find that you are not up for tomorrow''s festival," he began, "just let me know. You do not have to attend and can just stay in and rest."

    Astoria absently nodded, and he left. She sighed, grabbed a pillow, and squeezed it. Her heart felt like it was about to burst into a million tiny dancing hearts.

    ''Just how much does Nexi like this prince to cause such emotions?''

    She stayed in that position for a few minutes, hugging the pillow, and then got out of bed. She walked to her suitcase and took out Nexi''s diary and a pen. Sitting on the chair the older prince had been sitting on, she began to write notes in the diary.

    "So," she said to herself, "I can now control the Silver Ocean. I don''t have to worry about it erupting like it did with that troll, Laojin."

    She now knew that if she did not stop the Dark Lord, this world would be consumed in chaos. This would disrupt her progress of going home. She now had to get her act together and save this world. There was a knock on the door, and Ai walked in, tears running down her eyes.

    "Nexi!" she ran and hugged her tightly.

    The young fox princess was bawling her eyes out.

    "Ai, I c-can''t b-breathe."

    "Oh, right. Sorry, I just...I was so worried...and you...you disappeared and..." Ai spoke in between her crying.

    She sniffled and teleported a handkerchief from her room, causing Astoria to stare at her, completely intrigued. Ai then pressed the handkerchief against her eyes and began blowing her nose.

    "I''m sorry that I couldn''t do anything to help you," Ai began, "I don''t know how I was going to live knowing that I was unable to save you from entering that boundary."

    "It''s okay-"

    "No, it''s not okay," Ai interrupted her, vigorously shaking her head.

    "You could have died. I told you not to go there, but you didn''t want to listen to me," Ai said, her face turning as red as a tomato in anger.

    "I''m really sorry, Ai," Astoria said, staring at the princess whose eyes were now puffy from crying.

    "It wasn''t my intention to not listen to you. My inquisitive nature just took over, and before I knew it, I had stepped into that spider woman''s boundary."

    Ai blew her nose one last time and looked at Astoria, confusion written all over her face.

    "Spiderwoman?" she asked, bewildered.

    "Ah, yeah. The one that has been causing the disappearances is a spider-looking woman. I saw her," Astoria explained.

    Ai sat down on the bed, wanting to hear more about this creature.

    "That''s all I can say for now. The one who needs to hear all this is your older brother," she told Ai, who frowned in response.

    "Aww, fine," she said, pouting her lips and staring at the floor angrily.

    Astoria laughed at Ai''s behaviour. She placed her hand on the fox''s head, stroking her soft hair.

    "Thank you for calling your brother to save me. You really saved my life," she said, causing Ai to look at her.

    "Really?" Ai asked with a glint in her eyes.

    Astoria nodded. She was really thankful because she could get to the palace and have the venom neutralised in time. Although she also owed it to Saxhish not biting her with enough venom meant to kill her.

    "Then I''m glad," Ai said, a smile to her lips.

    Ai stood up.

    "Mother told me that your dinner will be brought to you, so don''t strain yourself and focus on getting better."

    Ai left the room, and Astoria returned to writing in the diary.

    ''So, I have to find the Dark Lord. I''m pretty sure he is looking for me, but for some reason has not found me yet. I must find him and eliminate him.''

    She shook her head.

    ''No, finding him while I''m vulnerable and barely able to use the Silver Ocean would be like arranging my funeral. I need some type of magic training.''

    She stood up and paced back and forth in the room.

    ''But who can help me? Keya maybe? However, if I''m to find the Dark Lord, I need allies. I cannot do this alone or with just two people.''

    She ran her fingers through her hair, unsure of who she could ask to help her.

    ''If I consider the people who could come with me on this dangerous journey, it would just be Keya and Laurelai. Even then, just us three going on this journey would be dangerous. Who else can help me?''

    She continued pacing back and forth until Yashiro walked in. She was so lost in thought that she did not notice him enter.

    "Um," he said, causing her to stop in her tracks and stare at him, "am I interrupting something?"

    She shook her head and stared at him.

    ''Maybe he can help me?''

    He just stared at her and noticed that she was still lost in her own thoughts.

    "Are you sure you''re okay?" he asked her.

    She nodded.

    "Like there are no side effects? You do not feel dizzy? Confused? Anything of that sort?"

    Astoria crossed her arms in an ''X'' in front of her chest and shook her head at all the things he had said.

    "I. Am. Really. Really. Really. Okay. Don''t. Worry," she said slowly, emphasising every word so that he would stop worrying about her and stop asking such questions.

    "Alright, Nexi," he said, "I just wanted to make sure that you''re okay since I caught you pacing back and forth like this. You also look troubled. What''s the matter?"

    She sighed and thought, ''Stuff it. It won''t hurt to ask.''

    "I need your help, but I need to talk to you somewhere private. Not here in the bedroom."

    He nodded and suggested they go to his study, which was on the other side of the palace. She followed behind him, tightly clutching her hands together as nervousness took over her body. After all, she was about to ask him something that could potentially endanger his life.

    He opened the door of his study, waited for Astoria to step inside before he did too and closed the door. He sat down on his chair, and she looked around the study. It was stacked with books on different types of metal and weaponry. The books were neatly kept, and the whole room was neat and organised.

    "Please take a seat," he said, pointing to the chair across from him.

    She moved towards the chair and sat down across from Yashiro.

    ''Where do I even start?''

    She thought to herself, unsure of where to even begin.

    "So," he began, "what do you wanna tell me?"

    She placed her hand on the table and looked at him.

    "Well," she began, "like I mentioned earlier, I really need your help."

    "With?"

    "Saving the world, protecting Nexi''s family, and destroying the Dark Lord. I need to tell you something, but first, I will begin with what happened to me when I entered that boundary where I saw multiple corpses," she said, silently hoping that he would agree to help her.

    "Okay, tell me everything. I''m all ears," he stated, focussing all his attention on her.

    When she began speaking, his eyes darted to her tempting lips. Some day, he would feel those warm lips against his.. He shook his head and focussed on what she was saying.

 Chapter 37 - Necessary Sacrifices To Save Countless Lives

    When she began talking, his eyes darted to her lips. They were tempting and, someday, he would feel those warm lips against his. He shook his head and focussed on what she was saying.

    "...so the creature said she consumes the souls of men because they are deeply tainted since men have deep, dark secrets and have committed evil deeds," Astoria stated, briefing him about Saxhish.

    "She said that is why she favours their souls since they have more dark energy than women. She lives off their dark energy, and it is her life source."

    Yashiro nodded and positioned his finger on his cheek.

    "I see, and that clarifies why there are more reports of men disappearing than women. It won''t be easy to enter the boundary since you told me she does not let just anyone in. She needs a man with enough dark energy that will satisfy her," he told her, rubbing his cheek with his finger.

    Astoria leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling. Even if they found a man with enough dark energy to attract Saxhish, who would be willing to sacrifice their life like that? Moreover, how are they going to enter the boundary? It was as if the fox prince read her mind and began to answer her questions.

    "Finding someone with dark energy will be easy. We can use a prisoner as bait and-"

    Astoria abruptly stood up, almost knocking the chair she had sat on. She was completely taken aback by his suggestion.

    "What? Use a prisoner?" she asked, surprise evident in her voice.

    Yashiro nodded, a neutral expression on his face. He gazed up at her, unsure why she was so shocked by his suggestion. How else did she expect them or anyone else to enter the boundary?

    "Yes," he responded, completely calm, "how else can we enter the boundary?"

    She slowly sat back down, tucking her hair behind her ears.

    "Is that not too inhumane?" she questioned.

    Yeah, she was a cop who hated criminals, but she would never kill them or send them somewhere, knowing that they would die there. It was just not humane to her. Doing something like that would make her a murderer, a criminal, and an evil person.

    "To you it is," he answered her, "but to me, it is a necessary sacrifice that will save my people. I have an obligation as one of the royal family to respond to such monsters that cause harm to our people."

    She shook her head. Yes, she understood that he had a duty to protect his people. She understood that sacrificing one prisoner would save several lives, but it was still inhumane. This was a full-on crime. However, she has no say in this matter since it is not her kingdom and it is outside her jurisdiction.

    "Okay, let''s say that you use this prisoner," she slowly spoke, "how will you enter the boundary? You cannot go in there yourself. Saxhish is powerful and deadly."

    Yashiro was not planning on entering the boundary himself. He knew the dangers that came with doing such a thing. The worst-case scenario was his soul being devoured by the spider and never seeing Nexi again. No, he would not allow such a thing to happen to him. He was going to live through this and save his people.

    "Are you worried about me?" he teased her, causing her eyes to widen.

    "W-what? No! I m-mean yes. Kinda, but..."

    He smirked and watched her stutter, her face turning as red as a cherry. Yeah, teasing her was one of the things he enjoyed whenever he was around her.

    "Argh! Whatever," she said, crossing her arms, not willing to speak about this matter any further.

    "I will go with the guards," he explained, after softly laughing.

    She nodded.

    "Once we lure her into opening the boundary for the prisoner, we will enter immediately behind him," he continued.

    How was she going to mention that she also wanted to enter the boundary and that she wanted to ask Saxhish questions about the whereabouts of the Dark Lord? About what she meant when she said she holds a bit of dark energy within her? Was this darkness from Nexi or her?

    ''No, considering that my soul is in Nexi''s body, the dark energy is from me and not her.''

    Yashiro watched Astoria, who was lost in thought. He noticed that she had a habit of twirling a strand of her hair when she was deep in thought. He found it rather cute. His sister would tap her index finger to her left cheek whenever she was deep in thought, while his younger brother had the habit of stroking his chin and looking into the distance.

    "Is that all you wanted to tell me?" he asked her, causing her to snap out of her thoughts.

    "Um, well," she began, not knowing where to start, "what I''m about to tell you is very important and does not just concern me, but also concerns this world."

    He nodded, ready to hear this vital information.

    "You''ve heard of the Dark Lord, right?" she asked him.

    He nodded again. He heard about the story of the Dark Lord killing Nexi''s mother and the queen, although he did not know all the details. Furthermore, he thought of how it must have been so traumatic for Nexi to undergo such an ordeal.

    "Okay, and you know that there have been countless rumours of him appearing in different locations?"

    He nodded at her question as he heard of such rumours, but most of them were just that. Rumours. No one has seen him.

    "He tried to kill me again," she said.

    His eyes widened like saucers at her statement. He tried to do what to her?

    "During that time, I was supposed to come and spend the weekend with you and your family but could not because I was sick," she explained, emphasising the word sick, "However, I was not sick."

    He tilted his head in bafflement.

    "I was attacked by the Dark Lord while taking a walk to the river with Keya."

    "What? He attacked you?" he asked, bewildered.

    "Yeah," she replied, "He threw me into the river. One thing led to another, and I was in bed for a while. That is why I could not come to see you. He is still after me and wants me dead. He even wants to take the Silver Ocean from me."

    Yashiro rubbed his temple, completely taken aback by what she told him.

    "So," he began, concern in his voice, "you''re telling me that the Dark Lord wants to kill you and take the Silver Ocean for himself?"

    She nodded, but that was not all the Dark Lord had planned.

    "Not just that," she added, "while I was asleep because of Saxhish''s venom, the Goddess, Lumina visited me in my dream. She said that I can now control the Silver Ocean."

    Yashiro stood up and walked towards her. Standing beside her with his arms crossed, he leaned on the table.

    "She said that I need to kill him because if I don''t, he will bring chaos into this world," she continued, "He will unleash the demons of the underworld who belong to Hades since he made a deal with him to get more powerful."

    "And can you do it?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow, "Can you kill him?"

    She clasped her hands together and stared at them. That was a question she had kept asking herself. Did she have what it takes to kill him and save this world? She could not even use the Silver Ocean properly. This was why she needed allies who would help her with this whole thing. She could not do it alone.

    "I believe that I can do it," she answered, staring at him.

    Her deep-set cobalt eyes held a glint of determination in them.

    "I can do it," she repeated, fisting her hands, "but I cannot do it alone. I need help, allies, training. I have to find the Dark Lord and not wait for him to find me."

    "And how will you find him?" he asked her.

    "Since the Goddess told me that my power can restore what was once broken," she said, rubbing her cheek, "I think I can use it to track him down."

    "Is that possible?"

    She nodded. He was once a good God, but because he wanted to be known by everyone and be extremely powerful, he chose to be evil and sell his soul. He was now broken.

    "Yeah," she said, smiling, "I think it is possible. He became broken after choosing to sell his soul to Hades. He is soulless."

    "I see," Yashiro said, shaking his head.

    He strolled back to his seat and sat down.

    "You say you need allies?" he asked her.

    She nodded. She desperately needed allies to be with her during this treacherous journey.

    "Yeah, but I only know Keya and Laurelai," she said, "and that''s only if they agree. That makes three of us, and that is not enough.. Even if I were to take guards with me, something tells me that they will be of no help."

 Chapter 38 - Mission: Eliminate Saxhish Part 1

    Yashiro stared at the stunning princess, who seemed like she had a favour to ask him but was rather unsure of whether to ask. He observed her nervously bite her lip. She was staring at her hands.

    "Do you need my help?" he asked, leaning his head in his left hand.

    She tilted her head up and looked at him. She desperately needed his help. Her gut told her that he would be a huge help in sorting this whole thing out. She stopped biting her lip and nodded.

    "Yes," she said softly.

    The black, long-haired fox grinned.

    "I''ll help you," he stated.

    "What? Really?" she asked him, quite amazed.

    The fox prince nodded, leaning back on his chair.

    "Yes, really," he said.

    He knew that she was dreading asking for his help because of how dangerous the Dark Lord was.

    "Look, I know how dangerous loacting and destroying in the Dark Lord will be. I believe you will need a strong, handsome man by your side," he added.

    She lightly chuckled, a sudden wave of relief washing over her.

    "I''m glad you are willing to help me, but what if something bad happens to you?" she asked.

    That was one aspect that stressed her out. What if the people she goes on this mission to destroy the Dark Lord with end up getting hurt because of her? What if they get killed like Nexi''s mother and the queen?

    "Are you worried about me?" the long, black-haired fox prince jokingly questioned.

    "What? Well, yes," she replied all too quickly, "Of course, I''m worried. I''m worried about everyone that will accept my deadly mission. I''m worried that they will get hurt, or worse, die!"

    He watched her worried expression and felt his heart soften at the thought that she was concerned about him and everyone else. He leaned forward and smirked. He was now in the best of moods because of her.

    "Listen," he said, his smirk still evident on his face, "I''m going to help you because as much as I''m worried about you going through this alone, the Dark Lord bringing chaos into this world will also affect my people."

    "And you care a lot about your people," she added, a smile on her face.

    "Yes," he said, nodding his head, "It''s not just about me fulfilling my royal duty, but I take these people like they are my second family."

    She found his sense of duty quite admirable. It reminded her of herself as a policewoman. She frowned at the word policewoman because of Cosmo X, that darn, corrupt company.

    ''Just you wait,'' she thought, eyebrows furrowed at the thought of the crooked company, ''I''m going to destroy you till there''s no way for you to ever set foot in the pharmaceutical industry. You will never harm innocent people ever again.''

    "Thank you," she told the prince, "I''m truly grateful that you will help me, considering how risky it will be."

    He nodded and sighed.

    "It will be very risky, but I''m going to help you get through this because you''re precious to me," he said with a thumbs up.

    She internally laughed at his words.

    ''Wow, Nexi. You got this prince head over heels in love with you. The fox prince is completely smitten with love for you.''

    "Thanks, Yashiro."

    Now, when would they deal with Saxhish. She ought to be locked up as soon as possible to prevent further disappearances of men and, sometimes, women.

    "When will you deal with Saxhish?" she asked, placing her hands on the table.

    "Tomorrow," he responded immediately.

    "Tomorrow? During the Festival of Paint?" she asked, baffled.

    He nodded as he knew that the sooner they dealt with her, the better it would be for everyone.

    "Yes, it has to be tomorrow morning before the festival starts."

    "Will there be enough time to deal with her? I mean, as I said before, she is powerful. Hmm, maybe she looked powerful to me because I can barely use magic," she said, sighing deeply.

    "We''ll try to make sure we are done before the festival begins. We''re lucky that most citizens have set up their shops, so we won''t have that many citizens around the area," he replied.

    "That''s good. You should also prohibit anyone from coming anywhere near the barrier," she advised him.

    He nodded, knowing that preventing citizens from coming near the boundary is essential for their safety. He began to move the fingers on his left hand. His gaze briefly wandered over her beautiful face. The hand motion caused a vibrant, teal surge of particles to slowly burst from his hand.

    "This," he said, "is a magic spell which I will cast tomorrow. It''s called Repaesco Strixulus, created by Maediv. It creates a barrier that prevents people from entering the area in which it is cast."

    He watched as Astoria leaned forward in her chair to stare at the vibrant surge of teal particles floating in his hand, a glint of fascination in her eyes. He smiled at her curiousness and closed his hand.

    "This world really has weird and complicated names for magic spells," she stated, leaning back on her chair.

    He laughed at her statement, thinking that the ''world'' Astoria meant was his kingdom. He did not know that she meant this world she had transmigrated to.

    "But that''s a great idea," she added, "I mean using a magic barrier."

    "Using a magic barrier will prevent anyone from disrupting you guys because I''m sure there will be citizens who will come and see you guys out of curiosity or something. Putting something like a tape will be useless, so a magic barrier is a better option."

    She sighed in relief, knowing that no more citizens would disappear and leave their families distraught. To say that she did not find all the creatures she had encountered to be interesting would be a lie. She found this world to be quite magical and intriguing. Well, that''s if you take out the fact that a crazy, psychotic, evil, soulless God was after her, wanted to kill her, and take away Nexi''s Silver Ocean.

    "Anyway," he said, standing up, "let''s go back to the room because I need to sleep as soon as I''m done having dinner."

    She stood up as well and watched as he headed for the door.

    "Sleep? So early?" she asked to which he nodded.

    He opened the door, and she stepped out. Closing the door, they walked to their room.

    "Yeah, I need to boost my energy levels, considering I will leave in the early mornings around 2 a.m. The earlier we deal with her, the better it is for everyone," he said.

    They reached the door to their room, and he opened it for her. She walked inside and watched as he moved the fingers in his left hand. A cluttered, cobalt blaze of particles materialised on his hand, and he pointed his hand to the area in front of the bed.

    "Decimundo Padlenis," he uttered.

    Suddenly, a chabudai, a short-legged table used in some traditional Japanese households, appeared. There were two tatami mats which would be used as their seats. She opened the door and found one of the servants holding a tray with their dinner.

    She stepped aside and let her in. The housemaid walked to the chabudai and arranged the dishes on the table. When she was done, she bowed and left the room. Seeing the food caused Astoria to salivate.

    "Come sit," the fox said, "you must be starving since you were asleep for so long."

    "Well, yes. You''re right abot that," she said, walking to the short table.

    Yashiro sat in seiza while she sat cross-legged, setting her dress so that it does not make her uncomfortable. How woman could wear such dresses was beyond her. Her stomach, softly growled as she skimmed all the different dishes. She blushed in embarrassment, hoping that the fox did not hear that.

    The fox internally laughed but kept a neutral face on the outside. He took a bowl and dished some rice for her. He picked up his chopsticks, grabbed some meat pieces from another dish, and placed them on her rice. He then passed her the dish.

    "Thanks," she said, taking it from his hand.

    Their fingers briefly brushed each other. She did not pay any attention to it as she was focused on the food she was about to eat. On the other hand, the gray-eyed fox was deeply affected because he felt a sudden jolt of electricity during that brief contact. He cleared his throat, smiled, and dished his food.

    Astoria began to eat the pieces of meat. As soon as it touched her tongue, she felt an unexpected burst of flavour she had never felt before. The meat was absolutely delicious as she tasted a bit of saltiness and sweetness, which was well balanced. Mixing the meat with rice made it taste even better.

    "Is it delicious?" he asked her.

    Clearly, it was, judging from her happy and pleased expression. He smiled when she nodded, and they ate in complete silence. The silence felt rather comforting and not awkward. A part of her felt happy that she now had an ally who would stand beside her and take down the Dark Lord.. Knowing that made her extremely content.

 Chapter 39 - Mission: Eliminate Saxhish Part 2

    Clearly, it was, judging from her happy and pleased expression. He smiled when she nodded, and they ate in complete silence. The silence felt rather comforting and not awkward. A part of her felt happy that she now had an ally who would stand beside her and take down the Dark Lord. Knowing that made her extremely content.

    Once they were done eating, the servant arrived, took away the empty dishes, and left. The fox prince stretched his hands, placed them on the table, and steepled his fingers. He was deep in thought as he was busy strategizing how he would deal with Saxhish tomorrow.

    Astoria watched him furrow his eyebrows while occasionally pressing his lips together. She did not want to disturb him, so she just watched him silently. He rubbed his eyes and stood up. He held his hand out for her to take. She placed her hand in his, and his face lit up. He helped her get up from the floor.

    "You should go and sleep," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and ushering her towards the bed.

    She walked to the bed and sat down. He walked towards the door and opened it, ready to leave.

    "Where are you going?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "The dungeon," he replied, "I need to decide which prisoner to use as bait."

    "Dungeon?" she asked, staring at him with wide eyes.

    To her, there was no way she was going to miss the opportunity of seeing a dungeon. She was definitely going to go with him. He nodded and opened the door. As he was about to step out, she stopped him.

    "Wait!" she exclaimed, standing up and running to his side.

    He saw that she had a glint of excitement in her cobalt eyes. It really shocked him, and he found her more attractive, yet again.

    "I''m coming with you," he heard her say.

    "What? Why?"

    He stared at her in disbelief.

    "I''ve never seen a dungeon before," she replied, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

    "I don''t think a dungeon is something you should be excited to see," he told her, frowning.

    "Oh, don''t worry," she said, "I won''t be scared or anything like that. I''m coming with you."

    With that, she stepped out and stood outside, waiting for him. She was excited to see a dungeon. She had always read about them in fantasy books. To see a real-life dungeon would be so awesome. He walked out and closed the door.

    "Fine," he said, "you may come with me."

    "Yes!" she exclaimed, clenching her hands above her head.

    "But," he said, emphasizing the word, "if at any point you start feeling uncomfortable, let me know."

    She vigorously nodded, and he sighed. He led the way, and she followed suit. The dungeon was behind the palace. A little broken statue marked the entrance to this dungeon. Beyond the broken statue was a narrow, crumbling room. It was covered in bat droppings and rubble.

    "Ew," she said, completely disgusted, "Can''t you do something about these bat droppings and rubble?"

    She crinkled her nose and then covered it. The smell was appalling.

    "A dungeon isn''t exactly supposed to look or feel like paradise, princess," he said, laughing softly.

    Their torches allowed them to see remnants of what once must have been a mess hall of sorts, pillaged and wrecked by time itself. Further ahead were two paths, but the right was a dead end. Its twisted trail led past long rooms and tombs and a damp area. There was an altar in the center of the damp room. It was covered in what appeared to be runes, some of which were glowing.

    ''What happens in this place?'' she wondered, staring at the altar as they passed it.

    They slowly marched onwards, deeper into the dungeon''s darkness, passing dozens of similar rooms and passages. She was told that most of the paths led to nowhere or back to this same path in the event of prisoners escaping or enemies trying to enter the dungeon for reasons which would cause trouble.

    It made sense that this dungeon had so many paths. They eventually made it to what was likely the entrance to where all the prisoners were kept. It had a massive metal door. Strange writing was all over it, somehow untouched by time and the elements. She stepped closer to inspect it and.. wait.. suddenly the metal door slowly opened on its own.

    She squealed, jumping back in surprise, her mouth wide open. Yashiro threw his head back, shaking with laughter at her tiny jump and reaction. She covered her face with her hands, totally embarrassed. She could not help but be taken aback when the door had started opening on its own.

    "Don''t worry," Yashiro said, winking at her, "I opened the door. Let''s go."

    She internally facepalmed and followed him. The inside of the dungeon was lit by floating orange flames, giving it a big contrast from how dark the outside was. There were a variety of prisoners locked behind massive red prison bars. These were bars totally different from the ones she had seen. These bars had metal thorns coming out of them.

    "Wow," was all she could utter as she stared in fascination.

    Yashiro began to walk up the giant stairs that led to the roof of the dungeon.

    "Stay close to me," he told her, suddenly reaching out his hand and entwining it with hers.

    She said nothing, and they walked side by side. Suddenly, the prisoners began to whisper among themselves and catcalled. Clearly, they were excited at seeing the sight of a beautiful woman.

    "She''s so beautiful."

    "I want her."

    "Wow, who is she?"

    "Is that his wife?"

    The prisoners began speaking and asking questions, some walking towards the prison bars to take a closer look. Some even tried to reach out their hands to touch her, thus hurting themselves in the process. The thorns pierced them and, while some shrieked in pain at the incident, others paid no attention to the blood oozing out of their skin.

    "Hey, annoempra," one prisoner flirted.

    She stared at the creature. It was a male Nephilim, a creature that was large and strong. Basically, a giant like the one in Jack and the Beanstalk, except smaller in size.

    "Why don''t you get in here," it continued in a flirtatious tone, "and let my hands work your body?"

    She stopped in the step which was close to another prisoner and stared at the fox prince.

    "What is an annoempra?" she asked him, tilting her head to the side.

    Curiosity was written on her face. He was reluctant to answer that as he knew it was a swear word equivalent to'' b*tch'' or ''wh*re.'' However, seeing her expression showed him that she would not take another step until she knew. He sighed and, looking away, told her.

    "Oh, I see," she replied, pressing her lips together.

    This was why he did not want her to come with him into the dungeon. These prisoners were vile creatures who were not right in the head. Seeing such creatures would be sure to traumatise or scare any princess. He wanted to take her back to the palace, but before he could tell her, he paused.

    He noticed she had walked down one step and stood where the Nephilim prisoner was. He also noticed that Nexi had no fear whatsoever written on her face. No fear was evident on her body either. He was astonished and certainly shocked.

    "Hey!" he heard her yell at the prisoner.

    "Unless you want those big hands of yours to be bent, burned, or your arm dripping blood onto the floor," she said, lowering her eyebrows, "you better watch your mouth."

    The other nearby prisoners who heard her were astonished by her words, some even gasped loudly. They began whispering about how brave she was and scary too.

    "And that also goes for the rest of y''all! I will f*cking break your necks with my bare hands if I hear you call me such a derogatory name or even flirt with me!" she yelled as loudly as possible.

    With that, all the prisoners went silent, shocked by her words. They were in complete disbelief of how fearless she and how, as a princess, she was not afraid to sound and speak in such a vulgar manner. Yashiro stood two stairs above her and watched in disbelief as she walked towards him and stood by his side once again. He gawked at her, mouth wide open.

    "What?" she asked when she saw his expression of disbelief and shock.

    "I did not expect you to be so..." he paused, trying to find the perfect word to describe her.

    "Fearless? Bold? A bit vulgar?" she suggested, finishing his sentence.

    He nodded, and she smiled enigmatically.

    "Let''s just say I have dealt with my fair share of prisoners like him, so this," she pointed all around the dungeon and then looked at him, "is nothing to me. These prisoners don''t scare me."

    Patting his shoulder, she began walking ahead, leaving him to watch her disappearing figure. He smiled and ran up to her.. They walked side by side once again, heading for the prisoner the fox prince knew would be the perfect bait for Saxhish.

 Chapter 40 - Mission: Eliminate Saxhish Part 3

    Patting his shoulder, she began walking ahead, leaving him to watch her disappearing figure. He smiled and ran up to her. They walked side by side once again, heading for the prisoner the fox prince knew would be the perfect bait for Saxhish.

    After it felt like they walked for five minutes, they stopped in front of a prison gate. It was dim inside, so Astoria could barely see the prisoner. That was until there was a sudden collision on the prison gate from the prisoner upon catching a glimpse of her and the fox prince. She jumped in surprise and saw that it was none other than an orc.

    If Nexi was the one who had seen it, she would have started shaking in fear, remembering the horrible event she had witnessed as a child. This was because this orc was the type of creature that helped the Dark Lord in attempting to kidnap Nexi when she was younger. She never thought she would see an orc this way. Seeing it in a dungeon made it appear even more malevolent.

    "This is the prisoner," Yashiro said, pointing to the orc.

    It was now bleeding in different parts of its body due to the impact of colliding onto the prison gate. She stared at it in displeasure, a frown plastered on her face at the thought of such a creature causing so much pain to others.

    "Okay, but why him?" she asked, crossing her arms.

    The fox prince leaned forward and stared at the orc, who, upon seeing the prince, shifted away from the prison bars. The orc stared at the prince, totally distressed. It huddled in a dark corner of its room and clasped its hands over its head. She could hear its shallow, rapid breathing and noticed that it was terrified of Yashiro.

    "This orc was wanted for thirty counts of murder, fifteen counts of rape, and ten counts of theft. He is one of the worst prisoners when it comes to the way he murdered his victims," he replied, leaning back.

    "I''m guessing that the way he murdered them was ruthless and monstrous?" she asked.

    She pressed her lips together, and he nodded. This orc''s soul would definitely be dark and perfect, according to Saxhish. However, there was something that was bugging Astoria. Would the spider woman actually accept this orc with the way its appearance is? Would she not be disgusted by it? As if hearing her thoughts, the prince answered.

    "Don''t worry about his appearance," he began, "His appearance won''t affect Saxhish."

    "Are you sure?" she asked, narrow-eyed.

    She was a bit skeptical.

    "Yes," he assured her, "You said it yourself that she feeds on the souls of men, which means she does not care about their appearances, but on their souls and how much dark energy they possess."

    She nodded and clasped her arms behind her body.

    "Yeah, you''re right," she said, smiling.

    "Let''s get going now," he told her.

    They left the dungeon and arrived at their room a few minutes later. She sat on the bed and yawned while stretching her body.

    "If you''re tired," he said, walking towards the bathroom, "you should sleep unless you want to take a shower first and then sleep?"

    "It''s not that I''m tired," she said, rubbing her eyes, "but more like my body is stiff since I was asleep for a few hours."

    He smiled, nodded, and stepped inside the bathroom. He closed the door, and a few minutes later, she heard the sound of running water announcing that he was now showering.

    She walked to her suitcase and grabbed her shower gear, sandals, a plush towel. She also needed a hot shower after what she had gone through. When he was finished, she saw him walk out with nothing but a clean, crisp, white towel wrapped around his waist. Again.

    "Can you not walk out looking like that?" she asked him, blushing ever so slightly.

    She knew it was a stupid question, but she could not help it.

    "No, I can''t," he said, "Now, go and take your shower because it will help your body feel better."

    He had a towel in his hand and was drying his long, black hair. He stared at her, and their gazes were fixed on each other''s eyes. She shook her head and abruptly stood up and quickly walked past him, not wanting to stare at his well-toned body and hard chest any longer.

    She shut the door and felt her knees give out. She placed her shower gear on the floor. She covered her face with her hands and felt the heat radiating off of her face. She was a blushing mess. Anyone would be feeling this way if they saw what she saw. The fox prince was the most handsome prince she had ever met.

    "Get it together," she told herself, lightly slapping her cheeks.

    She then stood up, changed out of her dress, and took her shower. As soon as the water hit her body, she gave out a little moan of satisfaction. The shower made her want to remain standing under the hot water forever. Yashiro could hear her humming a tune, and he smiled. He changed into his nightgown and lay on the bed.

    After a few minutes, she came out of the shower and wrapped herself in her plush towel. He saw her emerge from the bathroom, her body pink and smelling like lavender. Seeing her hair dripping and the droplets landing on her slender shoulders made his gray eyes dilate.

    He watched her as her hands firmly held her towel as if she was afraid that a sudden wind would blow it away and leave her bare for him to see her everything. When she walked to the closet to grab a long nightgown, she could feel his eyes piercing her back. She turned around and walked back to the bathroom.

    "Geez," she mumbled, licking her lips, "he looks like a hungry fox."

    She wore her nightgown, tied it as tightly as she could, and hung her towel. Her hair was still dripping. She noticed that he was plugging in a hairdryer when she walked out of the bathroom. He smiled when he saw her and ushered for her to come and sit down so he could help her blow dry her hair. She sat on the floor in front of him.

    He first grabbed a clean towel and gently towel-dried her hair, giving it a quick brushing. He then turned the hairdryer on and began to blow dry her long blue-black, wavy hair. For a while, Astoria felt highly comfortable, loving this hair treatment. When he turned off the hairdryer to signify that he was done, she could not help but be a bit disappointed.

    After a few minutes, they were both lying in bed. She had turned her back to him because she did not want him to see her sleeping face. After all, she was still embarrassed about this whole marriage arrangement. It was something she had never experienced and was not supposed to experience yet. He stared at her back.

    Within minutes, he noticed her rhythmic breathing and learned that she had fallen asleep. He likewise fell asleep, exhaustion washing over his entire body. He woke up in the middle of the night to find that she had faced him, her lips slightly parted, letting out even breaths. He stared at her small, round, and radiant face, her porcelain skin sending pheromones that were driving him crazy with desire.

    He lightly traced her lips with his finger, smiling as he stared at her faint freckles. He wondered why he never noticed what a beauty Nexi was? Why had he never noticed how wonderful and unique she was? She rustled in her sleep and moved closer to him, burying her face in his chest. He stiffened, his heart racing rapidly at the sudden intimacy.

    He felt her breath on his chest, and he looked down at her through his lashes. He watched as her face started to writhe. Her breathing became rapid, and she was groaning softly. She was beginning to shake, and he heard her lightly sobbing.

    "Mother," he heard her utter, "Mother... Don''t die, please..."

    Her lips quivered, and he instantly knew that the princess was having a bad dream. He placed his arm on her shoulder, gently patting it in even beats.

    "There there," he whispered, trying to comfort her, "It''s okay. It''s okay, princess."

    With those words, Astoria stopped trembling and let out a heavy sigh. Her face was back to normal. He carried on patting her shoulder until he was sure that she was no longer in distress or having her bad dream. He smiled as her breathing slowly started going back to normal.

    After a few minutes, he also fell asleep with his strong arms now wrapped around her. This was one of the best sleep he had ever had, and it was all thanks to her. He vowed to make sure that he kills Saxhish and anyone that tries to harm his fated one.

    ''Fated one?'' he thought, pursing his lips.

    He stared at the human princess in arms and beamed.

    ''Yeah, the Gods have sent me my fated partner, so I''ll do whatever is in my power to protect her and keep her happy.''

 Chapter 41 - Mission: Eliminate Saxhish Part 4

    ''Yeah, the Gods have sent me my fated partner, so I''ll do whatever is in my power to protect her and keep her happy.''

    He smiled at her sleeping form and lay awake for a while as he had to soon go and prepare for the mission with his guards. He carefully removed one of his arms which was wrapped around her. With that arm, he brushed some stray hairs covering her face. He then began to lightly stroke her silky hair, making sure not to wake her up.

    ''I could stay like this forever,'' he thought, feeling affectionate towards this woman who made his heart race as fast as an F1 race car.

    He remained like that for a while and, with an internal sigh, gently got out of bed to get ready for what was to come. He could not help but want to jump back in bed and wrap his arms around Nexi''s curvy body again. However, he knew he had a mission to accomplish and people to save. He tiptoed around the room and took out clothes to change into.

    He then tiptoed towards the door, ready to leave. He opened the door and, before stepping out, looked at her one more time with a glint of displeasure at the thought of leaving her in their bedroom alone. He shook his head and walked out of the bedroom, gently closing the door behind him.

    He walked towards the weapons and armour room and found the royal guards inside. They were putting on their plated armour. Stepping inside the room, the guards stopped what they were doing and stood in two straight lines, and bowed to him. There were twenty of them, ready to assist the prince and fulfill their royal duty of protecting the royal family and the citizens of Chesropis.

    He smiled at them, and they went back to putting on their armour. He walked to a door that could only be opened by him and stepped inside the room. His special armour was encased in a titanium glass barrier that could not be broken by anyone or anything in the room. The only way was to utter a magic spell which only he knew.

    "Zatanna," he said, causing a vibrant, cerulean surge of fragments to circle the glass barrier.

    With that, the barrier vanished, and he was able to grab his armour. The gray-eyed fox''s armour was different from the ones the guards had. The armour used by the royal guards had flat top helms with face guards shaped in the face of a fox. The shoulders were rounded, very long, and large in size. A fox claw-shaped metal ornament piece decorated each shoulder. The upper arms were protected by chainmail braces which sat quite well under their shoulder plates.

    The lower arms were covered by vambraces with a fox-shaped metal ornament piece on each outer side. The breastplate was made from a couple of layers of metal, mimicking the scales of a dragon, and covered everything from the neck down, all the way to the groin. Finally, the upper legs were covered by a skirt of many layers of metal sheets reaching down to the knee. The lower legs were protected by greaves which had metal leaves covering the outer sides.

    What made his armour different from the guard''s armour was that his was filled with magic to make him both faster, stronger, and more agile. It was also in a different colour than the guards'' armours. Their armour was black, with hints of gold, while his was silver with hints of gold. He then grabbed his weapon, which was a relatively long, thick, warped blade made of titanium and held by a grip wrapped in light brown crocodile leather.

    A single, sharp edge made this weapon ideal for both blocking and slicing so some enemies would not stand a chance against such a weapon. The blade had a spiked, twisted cross-guard, creating the ideal weight balance for smooth and accurate swings. The cross-guard was decorated with a fox head on each side, a unique design for a special weapon. It offered plenty of protection to his hands and his life.

    A wide pommel was engraved with the sword maker''s symbol, a star. The blade itself was also engraved with Yashiro''s name etched artistically into it. This weapon was feared and admired throughout the kingdom. It was rightfully so because it was infused with magic from the Kuba family''s oriental element, fire. One strike from it would cause the victim to be engulfed in fire if the blade''s wielder wanted.

    The blades which were used by some of the guards were simple. They were no engravings, but the cross-guards were decorated with a fox head on each side. The queen had believed that their blades did not need to look over the top. They only needed to be strong and sharp. These were the blades used by the royal guards. When he finished putting on his armour and weapon, he walked out of the room to find the guards ready for battle.

    "As we embark on this mission," he began telling them, "I hope that we will, again, work as a team to ensure we get rid of this creature that has been terrorising our kingdom for the past few months now. Make sure to stay alert as it will be dangerous to defeat."

    "Yes, your highness!" they shouted in unison, bowing and acknowledging his words.

    They all left the room and stood outside the palace gates on their horses.

    "Pallando," he uttered, causing a thin blue surge of particles to materialise on his left hand.

    The prison orc instantly appeared in front of them. He was enclosed in a floating transparent wall, his hands and feet chained together by a red chain. It placed its chained hands onto the transparent wall and cried in pain when it realised that the wall was infused with electrical energy. It bared its teeth to anyone that made eye contact.

    "Try to escape, and you''ll get electrocuted. Also, trying to break those chains on your feet and hands," he warned the orc, narrowing his eyes. "will cause you nothing but pain because thorns like the ones on the prison bars will emerge and sink into your skin."

    The orc stroked the nape of its neck and sat down, pressing its lips together. The fox prince told four guards to surround the orc in this manner: one guard in the front, back, and sides. They began to head towards Saxhish''s barrier, looks of determination and readiness plastered on their faces. Since it was very early in the morning, around 2 a.m., there were no foxes or tourists around. He was extremely thankful for that. They stopped outside the barrier and got off their horses.

    "Okay, everyone. Remember to be on your guard against this creature."

    The guards all nodded. The prince then levitated the chained orc towards the barrier, placing him in front of it. The guards drew their weapons, some consisting of swords, bow and arrows, staves, and rifles. He began to conjure a spell that would create a barrier around the area so that no citizens or tourists could enter it and be in danger.

    "Liberi Dragasi," he uttered, and a dim, jade intertwining duo of ripples emerged from his hand.

    He lifted his hand up in the air, palm facing forward, and moved it all around the area, and a transparent barrier began to form. When the barrier surrounded the area till he was satisfied, he placed his hand down, causing the jade ripples to disappear. Although the barrier was transparent, anyone outside it would not see what was going on inside.

    "This barrier," he told them, "will prevent anyone or anything from entering. We cannot afford to endanger anyone."

    He then drew his sword, holding it firmly in his dominant hand. They waited for Saxhish''s barrier to open. Five minutes passed... nothing. Twenty minutes and still nothing. After a good forty-five minutes, he wondered if the creature had noticed that it was a trap. Did she know that the orc was just bait meant to lure her into opening her boundary? Was it like Nexi had said? Was Saxhish actually disgusted by the orcs appearance?

    These were a few of the many questions that were racing through his mind. He sensed that the royal guards were also waiting in anticipation, some rubbing the sweat from their hands and others licking their lips. Another six minutes passed, and the boundary finally opened. The fox sighed and released the chains from the orc and made the electrical wall disappear.

    "Don''t try anything funny," the fox warned him, "Now, step into the boundary."

    The orc did as commanded and stepped inside, Yashiro following close behind with the guards. They were immediately hit with darkness. The spider woman''s barrier was at first as dark as night, then they were blinded by bright light. The light was so bright that they all temporarily lost their vision.

    The light became bearable after a few seconds. Suddenly, a loud shriek was heard. It came from the orc. A bolt of raw adrenaline shot through his veins as he watched Saxhish cover the orc in her spiderwebs that were dripping in acid.. The guards and prince jerked their weapons above their shoulders, ready for battle.

 Chapter 42 - Mission: Eliminate Saxhish Part 5

    The light became bearable after a few seconds. Suddenly, a loud shriek was heard. It came from the orc. They were hit with the stench of corpses that had decayed over time. The smell was appalling, almost causing some of them to gag. He crinkled his nose in disgust. A bolt of raw adrenaline shot through his veins as he watched Saxhish cover the orc in her spiderwebs that were dripping in acid.

    Yashiro and the guards jerked their weapons above their shoulders, ready for battle. He heard a cry of pleasure and saw that Saxhish was sitting on her regal throne of stones, the soul of the orc floating in her hand. The soul was a round ball of darkness filled entirely with dark energy.

    "What is this? What is this?" she asked, repeatedly, staring at her uninvited guests, "It must be my lucky day seeing as I am being rewarded with so many delicious souls."

    He watched her lick her lips, her eyes full of hunger, lust, and desire. She opened her mouth and sucked in the orc''s soul. Everyone watched in silence as she smacked her lips when she was done. She stood up from her throne, causing the guards to step back slightly. She smiled enigmatically, placing her hands on her hips.

    "Now," she began, eyeing them like delicious prey, "whose soul is next?"

    With that, she bounced in the air and landed on one guard. The guard screamed in horror as he tried to swing his blade at her. She dodged it and hissed, baring her fangs. Some guards carefully aimed their rifles at her. Loud bangs were heard.

    She leaped in the air, dodging the bullets that were heading her way. One guard used his bow and arrow, aiming the arrow at her. The arrow made a hissing sound as it flew through the air. A twang was heard from the bowstring.

    The arrow struck her left foot, and she cried out in pain. All the weapons except for his had been previously dipped in carbon tetrachloride. This volatile chemical quickly evaporates and melts the surface on which it has landed. She hissed, eyeing the guard who hurt her. At that moment, some bullets from the rifles struck her other legs.

    "Argh," she hissed again, feeling the pain surge through her body.

    She began forming a shield using her spiderwebs. The shield was soft at first and then hardened into what seemed like titanium.

    "I''ll make you all pay!" she shrieked, laughing like a complete maniac.

    With that, she began shooting her webs at the guards. They blocked her webs with their shields, while some were unable to. Those hit cried out in pain as the acidic webs began to eat through their armour and, later, their skin. She smirked devilishly and ran towards them.

    "Five of you," Yashiro yelled to the guards, "go and help the guards trapped in her acidic webs, but be careful. You six will fight alongside me. The remaining five should protect the guards who are helping the trapped ones."

    They all nodded and proceeded as commanded. Saxhish''s boundary was covered in red, khaki, and pink because of the fight. The faces of the trapped guards were grim with pain, and the thought of them dying broke their spirit. The air in the boundary was filled with the sound of riffles, staves, swords, hisses, and groans.

    "Seven against one innocent woman," the fox prince heard her say, "hardly seems fair, don''t you think?"

    He tsked angrily and collided his sword with her shield. He let his oriental element manifest, causing the blade to erupt in red flames. The flames engulfed her shield and, to her surprise, found that it burned it to ashes.

    "What? How is that possible?" she asked in disbelief, wide-eyed.

    This sight left her feeling shocked. Her shield was one of the most rigid shields that could never be broken by anyone. Well, at least that is what she thought. So why was this man able to succeed? Did he know how much dark energy creating this shield takes? Now she was utterly frustrated.

    "How dare you!" she shouted, pointing her finger at him.

    "Stupid man, I''ll kill you! I''ll kill all of you!"

    With that threat, she rushed to stop the guards from freeing the ones she trapped. To her dissatisfaction, the fox prince stopped her, stepping in front of her and almost striking with his blade. She was taken aback at his speed and agility. She dodged his strike, but if she was a second late, she would have been stabbed in the stomach.

    The other guards came to attack her as well, doing their best to defend and protect their fellow colleagues. She had no time to let out acid-type webs due to her constant dodging of attacks, so she just struck shot them with normal webs. The collisions of the attacks went on for an hour or so, with both parties not giving up.

    The sounds of shallow rapid breathing, groans of pain, and webs being torn apart using magic were all that could be heard in the silence. After a while, both sides ceased fire. Saxhish felt sharp pain wash over her body. Wherever she got struck, there was blood seeping from that wound. Sweat dripped down their foreheads, some feeling dull pains, which were numbed by the adrenaline pumping through their veins.

    Others struggled to hide their pain as they occasionally lamented softly. The prince himself was also in pain as, at some point, his hand was slightly cut by one of Saxhish''s tiny, sharp webs. He tried his best to block out the pain and find some form of meditating trance to cope with the agonizing sensation that would pop out once in a while.

    "Not bad," she said sarcastically, "I''ve made most of y''all immobile. Let''s see, only three of you guys to deal with? You''re making this too easy."

    Yes, there were only three of them left, the prince included. So, it was just the prince and two guards, one carrying a rifle and the other holding a bow and arrow. The other guards were glued to the floor, covered in spiderwebs.

    He was just glad that they managed to free the other guards trapped in acidic webs. She had trapped them again, but this time with normal webs. The two guards activated their weapons, and a bullet and arrow cut through the air with a swoosh and a swish, respectively. She managed to make another shield which manifested in a split second, blocking their attacks.

    "Oh dear," she said triumphantly, "looks like your arrows and bullets are useless."

    With that, a strong gravitational force pushed them to the ground causing the guards to fall face flat and the prince to kneel. She laughed cynically, twisted her lips, and walked towards them. They struggled to stand up as the force was too strong.

    She stood in front of the prince and ran her hairy finger along the side of his face, trailing it all the way to his lips. She held his chin roughly, forcing him to look up at her. She hummed a tune while inspecting his face. Satisfied, she let go of his chin and crouched in front of him.

    "I should eat your soul first, you darn fox, prince," she said, "since you caused all this. Do you know how long it takes for these wounds to heal? A week! A whole 7 days! 168 hours of feeling pain!"

    The prince scoffed at her statement and managed to move his lips.

    "Sorry," he said with an enigmatic smile, "but you caused more pain than what you will suffer for a week."

    She watched in astonishment as he began to slowly stand up and push against her gravitational force. She jumped back and froze in place. She stared at the prince with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. He was standing up firmly with his blade in his hand.

    "H-how d-did you-"

    "I''ll make you wish you never came here, " he said, interrupting her, "to cause chaos in my family''s kingdom and kill my people."

    Meanwhile, back in the palace, Astoria woke up minutes later and found him gone. She stretched herself and checked the time. It was only three-fifty in the morning, and she groaned. She stared at where the prince had been sleeping. There was a soft knock on the door.

    "Surely that can''t be him?" she mumbled, biting her lip as she stared at the door.

    "Nexi," she heard Ai call out softly.

    She ran to the door and opened it, and the young fox princess walked in. Ai knew that the princess Nexi would be sitting in the room worried about whether her brother would make it out alive.

    "I don''t know why but," Ai said, pacing around the room, unable to sit still, "something in my heart told me that you needed some words of comfort."

    Astoria nodded, also feeling agitated. She bit her lip and played with her hair.

    "I''m worried about him, Ai," she uttered, rubbing her hands together, "I cannot help but feel worried."

    Ai stood up from the bed and walked towards her. She held Astoria''s hands in hers and stared straight into her cobalt eyes, unblinking.

    "Nexi," she began, eyes full of determination and hope, "if there is one thing I know about my older brother, it''s that he is the strongest fox ever.. He will make it out alive, together with the guards."

 Chapter 43 - Mission: Eliminate Saxhish Part 6

    "Nexi," she began, eyes full of determination and hope, "if there is one thing I know about my older brother, it''s that he is the strongest fox ever. He will make it out alive, together with the guards."

    Astoria pursed her lips and stared at their clasped hands.

    ''Actually, now wait a minute,'' she thought, tilting her head to the side, ''Why in the world am I so worried about him?''

    Ai observed her in silence, wondering what she was thinking.

    ''Why? I mean, it''s not like I like him or anything, right? Besides, he is not even my fianc��. He belongs to Nexi. No, these are Nexi''s feelings, not mine. Yeah, that''s right.''

    Ai continued to stare at her, not wanting to disturb her brother''s fianc��, who was deep in thought.

    ''I mean,'' Astoria continued to talk to herself internally, ''these are her feelings, right? There''s no way these can be mine. No f*cking way. But hold on, if my soul is in this body, doesn''t it mean that whatever I''m feeling or thinking is from myself and not her? But then again, I''m using Nexi''s brain, not mine. Man, this transmigration stuff is so confusing.''

    Ai was wondering what the princess was pondering over so profoundly. She watched as various expressions flashed through her face, coming and going as fast as lightning.

    ''Oh no,'' Astoria thought, letting out an exasperated sigh, ''I am in trouble. I am in so much trouble. If these do turn out to be my feelings, this makes me a bad person. Falling for someone else''s fianc��? Since when was I so loose?''

    "Are you okay?" she heard Ai ask.

    She lifted her head and stared at Yashiro''s younger sister. Ai saw a glint of shock and sudden awareness in her cobalt eyes. Astoria let go of her hands and sighed, running her hands through her hair. She rubbed her eyes and sat down on the bed, staring at Ai.

    "Yeah," she replied a few moments later.

    "I can stay if you want," Ai suggested, "At least until my brother comes back."

    Ai felt that her response was not assuring. Clearly, the princess was not okay. Astoria shook her head no.

    "No," she stated, "You can go. I''ll be okay. Thank you for coming to check up on me."

    Ai clasped her arms behind her body, rocking back and forth.

    "You sure?" she asked.

    Astoria nodded, wanting to be alone to organise her thoughts.

    "I''m okay, Ai," she reassured her.

    Ai nodded and opened the door.

    "Well, if you need me, don''t be afraid to come to my room. You should get some rest, and don''t worry, my brother will come back alive," Ai smiled and then walked out of the room.

    Astoria collapsed on the bed and let out a long, heavy sigh. She spread her arms out and remained like that for a while, staring into space. Later, she tucked herself under the covers. When her eyes shut, she kept tossing and turning in the bed. Her sleep was being interrupted by thoughts of Saxhish and Yashiro.

    "I cannot believe this," she said, completely awake and restless, "You''re telling me that I''m in love?"

    She facepalmed and let out a sarcastic laugh.

    "Argh, I''m a homewrecker!"

    She rolled in bed, internally screaming into her pillow.

    "I''m such a homewrecker. What do I even tell Nexi when we meet once my mission here is done?"

    She stopped rolling in bed and stared at the ceiling, covering her eyes with her hands.

    "What do I tell her? ''Oh, hi Nexi. It''s great to finally meet you. So, um, while I was in your body, I might have fallen in love with your fianc��?'' That sounds so ludicrous!"

    While she was thinking of that, the battle with Saxhish was reaching its climax. Yashiro and her were neck and neck in terms of speed and attacks. Anyone could tell that both parties were utterly exhausted. She was getting aggravated and anxious because of the prince. Although they were neck and neck, she was in more pain than he was.

    This was because of the previous injuries she had acquired from the guards. The carbon tetrachloride on their weapons was now making its way to her heart. This was becoming a problem as her speed and attacks were getting slower and less impactful. He smiled when he noticed that she was slowing.

    ''Let''s end this while she is weak and before she tries anything to regain her strength,'' he thought.

    With that, he activated his oriental element, but this time to its full capacity. Saxhish widened her eyes in shock when she saw his blade consumed by fire. She grits her teeth, and he jumped towards her at an incredible speed which she could not match to counterattack. She was instantly pierced in the heart, causing her to let out a loud shriek as the heat from the blade''s fire began to burn her heart.

    He pulled out his blade from her heart, and she leaped back, falling to the floor. She placed her hand over her wounded heart. When she checked her hand, she noticed blue blood. She froze and stared with wide eyes at the fox prince, her hand covering her wound. Her breathing was now shallow, and she tried to stand up but instantly stumbled on her feet.

    Gasping for air, the world seemed to spin around her. The prince strode toward her and crouched down. He stared into her crystal clear eyes with an enigmatic smile. An overwhelming feeling of dread took over her, and for a moment felt the pain getting worse and worse. She fell face flat and squeezed her eyes shut, her face turning to a grimace.

    "Y-you," she shakingly said, coughing out blue blood, "I w-will kill-"

    She coughed again, slowly stretching her shaking hand to grab him, a glint of anger and pain in her crystal eyes. He stood up and scoffed.

    "And how will you do that?" he asked her, a hint of amusement in his voice.

    She grits her teeth and lets out a short grunt. The pain became disorienting, and it started to affect her vision. She slowly lifted her head and saw him walk towards his guards. He began slashing her webs which trapped the guards, thus freeing them. The guards that were released helped the prince free the others.

    After a while, all the guards were free. Although they were bruised and wounded, it was not going to lead to their deaths. They would be fine after getting some medical attention. He walked back to Saxhish. She had stopped breathing. Her body lay lifeless on the ground. He raised his blade, activating the fire within it, and struck her head. It rolled a few steps away from her body, and he walked towards it.

    "Reda Noctum, " he uttered, causing a mellow, bronze stream of particles to emerge from his hand.

    He placed his hand on her head, and the particles covered her head, turning it into dust. He stood up and put the blade in his scabbard, a sheath meant for holding his blade. He inspected the boundary and saw that it was beginning to disappear.

    "Our work here is done. Let''s get out of here," he told his guards and walked towards the entrance.

    They nodded as they supported each other since they were wounded. They walked towards the entrance and stepped out of the boundary. When they were all out, they watched the boundary disappear into a smoke of dark energy. He sighed in relief that they could accomplish their mission and make it out alive.

    He turned and faced his guards, a proud smile on his handsome, charming face. He stared at each guard, scanning their bruises and wounds. The guards had sweaty brows, some of their armour damaged from Saxhish''s attacks. He was extremely relieved that his guards who were trapped in acidic webs were not severely injured, thanks to the strong metals used to make their strong and almost impenetrable armour.

    "Thank you for your hard work," he began, "I know that it was not easy, and we were injured, but I''m glad that we all made it out alive. I will remove the barrier, and we will head back to the palace to get medical attention and a well-deserved rest."

    The guards nodded, and he removed the barrier. They walked to their horses, softly grunting at the pain they felt when they tried to mount them. They then began to head to the palace. At this time, the sun was starting to rise, and it was not as dark as it was before. He wondered how long they had been inside the boundary.

    On their way to the palace, some of the citizens were outside. Some were busy setting up their shops for the festival, while others added the finishing touches to theirs. They bowed when they saw the prince pass by with his guards. Looks of confusion were plastered on their faces when they noticed that he, together with the guards, were injured.. He smiled as he passed them and they reached the palace gates.

 Chapter 44 - No Pain, No Gain

    On their way to the palace, some of the citizens were outside. Some were busy setting up their shops for the festival, while others added the finishing touches to theirs. They bowed when they saw the prince pass by with his guards. Looks of confusion were plastered on their faces when they noticed that he, together with the guards, were injured. He smiled as he passed them, and they reached the palace gates.

    They put the horses back to where they belonged and walked to the palace infirmary. The doctor and nurses were waiting outside. They each clasped their hands and bowed when they saw the fox prince.

    "Nurses," he said, "attend to the wounded guards."

    The nurses nodded and walked towards the guards, guiding them to the infirmary beds. The royal doctor, Dr. Xion, approached the prince, a look of worry on his face.

    "Are you okay, your highness?" he asked.

    He scanned the prince from head to toe, noticing a few bruises and open wounds here and there. Although the injuries were not fatal, the doctor could not help but worry.

    "You didn''t get bitten, right? There''s no venom circulating inside you? Do you feel nauseous? Dizzy maybe? Anything at all?"

    The doctor gushed, asking question after question. Yashiro smiled internally. He then pretended to feel dizzy and leaned forward as if he was going to faint. Doctor Xion quickly caught him, shock and worry plastered on his face.

    "Your majesty!" he exclaimed, placing his hand on the prince''s forehead to examine if he was burning up.

    Yashiro let out a soft chuckle which then turned into a loud one. He sighed and stared at the doctor.

    "I''m just messing with you, Dr. Xion," he said, smiling.

    The doctor frowned. One thing about Dr. Xion was that he was loyal to the Kuba family. He has been the royal family''s doctor for more than 100 years. He was well-known throughout the kingdom and other kingdoms as one of the doctors with a brilliant mind.

    "Your highness," he said sternly, a look of disapproval on his face.

    He was also like a second father to the Kuba children, and they all loved and cherished him.

    "I don''t think now is the time to be making such jokes," he finished, crossing his arms and letting out an exasperated sigh.

    "Yes, yes," Yashiro said, patting the doctor''s shoulder.

    Dr. Xion sighed again. He knew how much the oldest son of the Kuba family loved making jokes and teasing others. Sometimes, he wondered if Kuba Yashiro was a sadist.

    "Excuse me for a minute," the doctor heard the prince say and watched as he walked towards one nurse who was attending to a guard.

    He stood next to the first nurse, staring at the wounded guard lying on the bed with a grimace on his face.

    "Is he going to be okay?" he asked the nurse, a hint of worry in his voice.

    The nurse smiled and nodded.

    "Yes," she replied, "They all will be okay. Some of them have a few broken bones, but it''s not anything fatal to their health. Most of them just have bruises or wounds that can heal in a few days."

    He nodded as he stared at the other guards who were lying on their beds and getting medical treatment.

    "There were some who were trapped in acidic spiderwebs," he told the nurse, "Will they not be severely affected by that?"

    The nurse stared at the guards he was talking about. She had noticed that some of them looked more wounded than the others. She then turned and faced the prince.

    "We performed some cooling magic on them as the acid burnt through their armour and some of their skin," she said, injecting her patient with pain relief medicine.

    The guard''s face went back to normal, and he let out a deep sigh. His eyes felt droopy and, a minute later, he fell asleep.

    "Their skin wasn''t severely damaged by the acid since it did not penetrate deeply, so they will be okay," she continued, "However, they need to be monitored for a few weeks before they can go out and perform their royal duties."

    He nodded and sighed in relief. He was glad that they were all going to be okay. You are probably wondering why they don''t use magic to heal them, right? This world is different in that although there is magic, they still use aspects like doctors, medication, infirmaries, and the sort for healing purposes.

    This is one of the things that makes this world similar to Astoria''s. Magic cannot always cure or solve anything. There would be no fun, a sense of suspense, or tension if that was the case, don''t you think?

    He watched as Dr. Xion examined each guard and scribbled notes in his file. Knowing that his guards would be okay and in good hands, he walked towards the door, ready to leave.

    "Now hold on a second!" he heard Dr. Xion yell, rushing towards him.

    "Where do you think you are going?" the doctor asked.

    He rubbed the nape of his neck and smiled sheepishly. Actually, he desperately wanted to see Nexi. He wanted to tell her that he was back and in one piece. He wanted to tell her the good news. That they defeated Saxhish. That thanks to her, they were able to defeat the monster that had been terrorising the kingdom.

    He hoped that she was worried about him. He wondered if that was the case and internally wished so. The doctor cleared his throat, and he focused his attention back on him. He knew that he had to get his injuries checked. He, too, was in pain, after all. However, the pain he was feeling was the last thing on his mind. He just wanted to see her.

    "Are you just going to stand there and smile like a little child?" the doctor asked him.

    "I wasn''t trying to run away or anything," he began, placing his hands in front of his chest, palms out and waving them at him.

    The doctor tilted his head and lifted an eyebrow.

    "I never said you were trying to run away. You cannot go without getting checked first," the doctor stated.

    "I''m fi-"

    "And don''t lie to me and tell me you''re fine," the doctor added, interrupting the prince.

    He knew how the prince was. He always behaved like this whenever he came back from a mission or battle. He would let his guards get medical treatment first before him. Sometimes, he would not get medical treatment at all. He would just numb whatever pain he was feeling and sleep it off like it was nothing.

    "I''ll be back," he assured Dr. Xion, "I promise. I just need to see Nexi and let her know that I''m okay."

    The doctor placed his free hand on his chin, stroking his short beard.

    "Fine," he said, after a minute of contemplating, "I''m sure she is worried about you. You can go."

    "Thank yo-"

    "But you better come back!" the doctor cut him off again.

    Yashiro vigorously nodded.

    "If you don''t," the doctor added, "I''ll come there and drag you here."

    He laughed at Dr. Xion''s statement, knowing that he really would come to him and drag him back to the infirmary. He nodded and patted the doctor''s shoulder, and left. He headed for his bedroom, wondering if Nexi was awake or still sleeping. The Festival of Paint was going to begin at 9 a.m., so there were still two hours left before it would start.

    ''I wonder if she is with Ai and getting ready for the festival,'' he thought.

    He now stood outside the bedroom door, his hands firmly clasping the doorknob. Somehow, he was nervous, and he said a silent prayer to the Gods, asking them to let Nexi be in the room. He breathed out and opened the door. He walked inside and, to his relief, found her sitting on the side of the bed. She was rocking back and forth, biting her bottom lip.

    She did not notice that he was standing by the door as her head was far up in space. Anxiety, fear, and worry were written on her face. Astoria wondered what was taking the fox prince and his guards so long. She had gone to ask the king and queen about him. However, there was no news about whether their mission was a success or whether they were back yet.

    He cleared his throat, and she jumped, startled by the sudden noise since the room was quiet, with just her breathing being the only sound you could hear. Tilting her head up, her cobalt eyes widened in shock as they met his gray ones. She abruptly stood up and ran towards him, her arms spread out.

    To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him with such an impact that his back hit the wall. He let out a short grunt of pain, not because of the impact of his body hitting the wall but because of the injuries on his back. She gasped and let go of him.. He watched her cover her mouth with her left hand.

 Chapter 45 - Festival Preparations

    To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him with such an impact that his back hit the wall. He let out a short grunt of pain, not because of the impact of his body hitting the wall but because of the injuries on his back. She gasped and let go of him. He watched her cover her mouth with her left hand.

    "Oh my gosh," she said, "I''m so sorry. Did I hurt you? I did, didn''t I? Dear Neptune, I''m sorry."

    His face lit up when he realised that she was actually worried about him. She must have felt anxious when she saw the time passing and him not returning to the palace.

    "I''m alright," he said, placing his hand on her cheek.

    Her face flushed, and she pursed her lips together. For a while, all they did was stare into each other''s eyes. None of them blinked or broke eye contact.

    "No, you''re not," she said after a minute, "You''re full of bruises and wounds. Why did you not go and get treated first?"

    "Because I wanted to see you," he bluntly stated, "Something told me you were worried. I had to assure you that all the guards are okay. That Saxhish is no more and most of all, that I''m okay. That I''m back home."

    "I see," she softly said.

    They continued with their steady contact. He gently kissed her forehead, sending a shockwave of electricity throughout her body. She stepped back and blinked rapidly in total disbelief of what had just happened. She blushed profusely, too stunned to utter a single word.

    "I''ll be going now," he told her, a satisfied smile on his handsome face.

    With that, he winked at her and left before she could even say anything. Not that she had anything to say. She was still too stunned by the sudden kiss on her forehead. She slowly moved her hand and placed it above where he kissed her. She could feel the heat radiating from it and gasped, covering her mouth in disbelief.

    "W-what just happened?" she blurted.

    Her legs gave out, and she fell to the floor. Her heartbeat was beating at a crazy speed, and she thought it was going to burst at any moment, leading to her unexpected, tragic death. She clenched her nightgown and shook her head.

    "I just got kissed by her fianc��," she said.

    Even the words that came out of her mouth sounded unbelievable. Now, she really felt like a homewrecker. No, she was a homewrecker, according to herself. She sighed and looked at the clock on the wall. There were about two hours left before the official start of the festival.

    She gasped at the time, having no idea that she had been awake thinking and worrying about the prince for so long. She abruptly stood up and went to take a cold shower, feeling that she needed to cool her overheated body. When the cold water hit her body, she flinched but slowly got accustomed to it.

    She stood under the water, her mind far away. The prince really loved Nexi, was all she could think. The fact that he came to her before getting medical treatment for his injuries and wounds proves it. He must have been enduring so much pain walking the palace stairs to the bedroom. After all, their bedroom was on the fourth floor.

    ''Oh,'' she thought, ''he could have teleported.''

    But then again, he must have used up a lot of his magic energy fighting Saxhish.  Performing a teleportation spell would cause him to faint or really drain the last ounce of energy he had left. She sighed and closed the shower tap. She walked out of the shower and dried herself and her long blue-black, wavy hair.

    Now, what was she supposed to wear since she could not wear one of her dresses, seeing as the queen had stated that she would provide Ai and her a dress to wear for the festival? She walked to her suitcase and quickly chose a simple casual dress. She quickly dressed, not wanting Yashiro to catch her half-naked if he came back sooner than she expected.

    Closing her suitcase, she put it away and walked towards Ai''s room. It was a floor below the fox''s older brother''s room. Reaching the young fox''s room, she knocked and heard Ai yell for her to come in. She sounded like she was far away, like in the bathroom maybe. She stepped inside Ai''s room, and it was aesthetically pleasing with colours that complimented each other.

    Artworks were plastered on the walls, and there was a work table with art supplies in the corner of the room. It was a very spacious room where you could fit two queen-sized beds. Yashiro''s room was bigger, though, since he sometimes used the room for combat practice to brush up on his fighting skills. She looked around but could not see the fox princess.

    "Ai?" she called out.

    "In here!" Ai exclaimed, peeping her head out an entrance.

    Ai signalled for her to come through. She walked towards Ai and was amazed to see a spacious walk-in closet. Shoes, bags, sunglasses, and headbands of every kind were found in the closet. These were placed to the left of the closet. The right side of the closet had her clothes set neatly in their hangers. The middle of the closet had a sizeable wide mirror, a rose pink soft chair, and a white dressing table with gold linings.

    "Sorry," she heard her say while putting on an ornate bracelet, "Couldn''t get to you because I''ve been busy getting ready. Mother left your dress in my closet. It''s that one in the blue cloth garment bag."

    The fox pointed towards the bag, and Astoria walked towards it. She held the bag in her hand and walked to the bathroom to change. Opening the garment bag, she found her dress and carefully took it out. To say it was gorgeous would be an understatement. The dress was clearly made from the best materials from the best tailor in this kingdom. Her jewelry was also placed inside.

    Her dress was a goldenrod-colored boobtube dress which left her slender shoulders uncovered. It was a tight but comfortable fit, making the dress look comfortable yet elegant and stylish. Her arms were uncovered, and the dress'' waist was wide. A small, stylish black ribbon was all that was needed as a perfect adornment. Below the waist, the dress widens into a ball gown style dress.

    The dress reaches all the way down, almost covering her feet, and is longer at the sides. She wore black slingbacks, which further added to the elegance and class. She wore a simple but stylish necklace and an opulent bracelet to top it off. The necklace accentuated her neck. She sighed, feeling a bit uncomfortable as she was still getting used to wearing dresses and sometimes heels. The last time she wore a dress was during her mother''s funeral.

    She was a policewoman who usually wore pants, a t-shirt, and sneakers. Even on her weekends, she would stay home in her pajamas. Now about her hair, she was unsure what to do. She walked back to the walk-in closet and stood at the entrance. She watched as Ai finished up. Ai stood up, stared at the mirror, and made eye contact with her as she had been staring at Ai''s reflection. The fox smiled at her. They both walked out of the closet.

    Ai twirled and placed her hands on her hips. Her lavender dress covered just one of her slender shoulders, leaving the other uncovered, and flowed down into an elegant jewel neckline. It is a tight fit on her hourglass figure and covers up her breasts but does so without making it look awkward or messy. Her arms have been left uncovered, which not only helps accentuate her gorgeous, tanned skin but also keeps the focus on other parts of the dress.

    The waist of the dress is thin, but it is a comfortable fit. An elastic band within the dress perfectly accentuates her waist and breaks up the dress nicely. Below the waist, the dress widens and has several asymmetric layers towards the bottom. The dress reaches just above her ankles and is longer in the back. She chose to wear white pumps to add simplicity and elegance. Another reason for the pumps was that she was a clumsy person who did not take heels all too well. She wore a gorgeous white wide hat to top the whole outfit off.

    "How do I look?" she asked, doing model poses.

    "Like a Goddess ready to rule the world," Astoria replied with a thumbs up.

    "And you look like a born queen who is fated to be with my brother," Ai complimented her.

    They both threw their heads back and laughed at each other''s compliments. They hugged their chests as they shook with laughter. Ai then stared at Astoria''s hair and walked to the closet.. Grabbing a brush and some pretty, silver flower hairpieces, she ushered for Astoria to come and sit on the chair in front of the wide mirror.

 Chapter 46 - Salad

    They both threw their heads back and laughed at each other''s compliments. They hugged their chests as they shook with laughter. Ai then stared at Astoria''s hair and walked to the closet. Grabbing a brush and some pretty, silver flower hairpieces, she ushered for Astoria to come and sit on the chair in front of the wide mirror.

    "Let me help you style your hair, Nexi," she said.

    Ai then brushed Astoria''s hair, admiring its wavy, soft, and silky state. The colour reminded her of a deep, dark blue ocean. She meticulously brushed her hair then braided it to give it an elegant look. She put the remaining hairpieces and the brush on the table. Placing her hands on Astoria''s shoulders, she smiled at her creation.

    "What do you think?" she asked her brother''s fiance.

    Astoria loved the hairstyle as Ai had done a lovely side braid. Her blue-black hair flowed from the front crown towards the back and into a low twisted updo. Ai had then added the metal flower pieces on the braid.

    "I love it," she said with a thumbs up.

    The hairstyle was both simple and elegant, matching her outfit and showing off her beautiful round face. Ai put the brush away and smiled. She stared at the clock which was hanging above the mirror. An hour and twenty minutes had passed. They both walked out of the closet and stood next to the bed.

    "Glad that''s all over," Ai said, sighing.

    Astoria shook her head. She has learned that, as she is serving her time in this world, it takes longer than usual to dress up, mainly because she was a princess now. She has to sometimes wear layers of clothing before putting on the actual dress. She has to get her hair and makeup done, which takes about an hour. It was all exhausting. Luckily, the maidservants and Keya assisted her with those things, so she was grateful for them.

    "We have about forty minutes before the festival starts. Let''s go grab something to eat," Ai continued, walking out the room.

    They wandered to the royal kitchen. The royal cooks were occupied with preparing fresh ingredients for the day''s dinner. Upon seeing them standing at the doorway, one royal cook walked towards them. He was a young cook, a fellow kitsune as well. Some of the kitsune''s in this kingdom chose to use their natural form, while others chose their human form. Right now, he was the latter.

    "Princess Ai," he cheerily spoke, "Princess Nexi. To what do I owe the honour of seeing two stunning beauties here in my kitchen?"

    Astoria stared in bewilderment.

    ''His kitchen? Wait, is he the head chef? But, he is so young,'' she thought.

    Ai giggled and rubbed her tummy.

    "We are hungry," she answered, "However, we need something light since we need to have room for the food and snacks we will be eating at the festival."

    The head chef smiled and nodded.

    "How about I prepare some chicken salad?" he suggested, "Is that okay?"

    Ai nodded and turned to face her.

    "Are you okay with a chicken salad?" she asked Astoria, who nodded yes.

    "Great!" the head chef exclaimed, turning away.

    Astoria and Ai walked to one of the seats situated outside the kitchen. The kitchen was near the cafeteria for the royal guards. It was almost like the kind of cafeteria you would see in high school movies. This was where the guards ate or came to relax and clear their heads. Even now, some guards were sitting together and having a discussion. Some guards were seated alone, resting their heads on the table or reading a book. The women carefully sat down, ensuring they did not step on their dresses or ruin them.

    "You should see how noisy it gets in here at night," she heard Ai say.

    "It''s like a market," Ai added.

    Astoria smiled. "Yeah, I can imagine that."

    As they waited for their salads, they discussed setting up Ai''s stall to sell her paintings, the different kinds of food they would get to eat, and the funs games they would get to play.

    "...and that''s only if Yashiro does not steal you away from me," she frowned at the thought.

    "What? Steal me?" Astoria asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "Yes," Ai replied, "He might ask you on a date."

    The fox winked at her, and she let out a nervous laugh. She doubted that would be the case since he would probably be resting after getting medical treatment. To attend the festival today would be an absurd thing to do and would worsen his health.

    "I think he should rather stay in bed and rest up than attend the festival," she told the fox, "He can attend tomorrow''s festival instead, but only if he is feeling better. After all, you said so yourself that the Festival of Paint goes on for two days."

    Ai chuckled at her suggestion. She stared at her, confused about what was so funny. Ai wiped some tears which had gathered in her eyes, making sure she did not ruin her makeup.

    "Sorry," she said, sitting up straight, "I''m not mocking what you said. It''s just, my brother will be at the festival whether he is injured or not. He is very, very, very stubborn. Pain is like nothing to him. So yeah, expect a date. I can feel it coming. So romantic."

    Astoria sighed. "So your brother is that kind of person who doesn''t care about the pain they feel and just goes about doing their business as if they are completely fine?"

    The fox princess laughed, throwing her head back.

    "Yes, that is undoubtedly my brother."

    Ai shook her head and ushered her to lean forward. Astoria leaned forward, wondering what the fox princess wanted to tell her.

    "One time..." she heard Ai say.

    ''Ah,'' she thought, ''Is Ai going to tell me an embarrassing story about him?''

    "...he was having combat practice with father. They got into a heated combat session, and although they used wooden swords, he got bruised pretty badly around the skin above his ribcage."

    "Oh really?" she asked Ai, wide-eyed.

    Ai shook her head yes. "However, he did not tell father, afraid that he would appear weak if he did. Well, they continued with their practice session, and when they were done, Yashiro was sweating profusely. It was evident that he was in excruciating pain."

    Ai crossed her arms and leaned back.

    "When father left the room after they were done, my brother fainted. He got lectured that night by our parents," she let out a laugh.

    "Wow," Astoria said.

    She was amazed by this story. He did seem like the type of person or creature who would numb their pain and continue with their work. After all, he came to see her without getting medical treatment first when he was clearly in excruciating pain.

    ''What a brave fox,'' she thought, nodding her head.

    Just then, the head chef appeared in front of them, a silver tray in his hand.

    "Your chicken salads are ready," he said, placing their dishes in front of them.

    He neatly placed their serviettes down, with their cutlery, a knife, and fork, atop the serviettes. He stood across them, hands clasped behind his body. Seeing Astoria''s confused expression, Ai knew what she was thinking.

    ''Why is he standing across us and not leaving?'' Astoria thought, tilting her head in confusion.

    "He wants to know how the food tastes and if it''s to our liking before he leaves us to continue with our meal," Ai informed her, causing her to turn her attention to the fox princess.

    "Is that so?" Astoria asked to which the head chef nodded.

    "Go on, have a taste," the head chef ushered them.

    ''He won''t poison me or anything, right?'' she thought, furrowing her brow.

    ''I mean,'' she continued, ''I have read novels where princes or princesses get food poisoning. This isn''t the case, right? I cannot die again. If I die here, it is obvious that I will die for good. My soul will be no more. I won''t transmigrate again. I won''t-''

    "Geez, Nexi," Ai exclaimed, stopping her trail of thoughts, "Hurry up and eat. You know the festival will start soon, and we don''t have time to waste. Also, it''s not poisoned or anything so you can relax."

    "Ah, right," Astoria nodded, earning a chuckle from Ai and the head chef.

    She took her fork in her hand, piercing it into the chicken salad. She then brought the fork to her mouth and put the food in her mouth after saying a silent prayer about not wanting to die again.

    Her eyes widened in shock as she began to taste an explosion of herbs and spices. She has never tasted such a delicious chicken salad. It was indeed out of this world. But then again, it really was out of this world since this was not her world.

    "And?" she heard the head chef ask.

    He bit his lip in anticipation, rubbing his hands together, waiting for her answer.

 Chapter 47 - Festival Of Paint

    He bit his lip in anticipation, rubbing his hands together, waiting for her answer.

    "It''s absolutely delicious!" Astoria replied, with a thumbs up, "I''ve never tasted anything like it. Completely out of this world-"

    "Stop!" she heard Ai blurt out.

    She paused, blinking rapidly in surprise. She wondered if she said something wrong or offensive.

    "Don''t flatter him too much, Nexi," Ai said, puffing her cheeks.

    She looked like an adorable squirrel.

    "You will just inflate his ego."

    The head chef laughed at Ai''s remark and softly pat her head.

    "Someone is being way too jealous, don''t you think so Princess Nexi?" he teased Ai.

    Astoria covered her mouth and softly let out a chuckle. Ai shook his hand off of her head and rolled her eyes.

    "No, I''m not. Thanks for the food. Now, go away."

    The head chef chortled. "I did notify you that I can teach you how to cook, then you can also be on my level when it comes to your culinary skills....Maybe."

    Ai let out an exasperated sigh, blushing profusely.

    "She almost burnt down the whole kitchen once trying to cook rice porridge for her brother, Prince Yoshito, who had a fever and-"

    "Hey!" Ai gasped, interrupting the head chef, "Don''t tell Nexi that!"

    The head chef softly laughed. "It''s true, though. Is that not the reason why you don''t like others complimenting my cooking?"

    Astoria let out an even louder laugh and immediately covered her mouth tight. Ai turned and faced her, sighed again, and tilted her head towards the head chef.

    "N-no, that''s n-not w-why..." Ai stammered, completely red.

    She was a blushing mess as she tried to defend herself. Failing dismillay in the process. Astoria stared at her in amusement, enjoying her chicken salad which tasted even better now that her mood was being slowly lifted.

    "Anyway, leave now. Go, bye!" Ai shooed him away.

    He laughed, bowed, and left them to their meal. Ai turned her attention to Astoria and sighed again. It was like she was facing an existential crisis.

    "So embarrassing," Ai muttered, grabbing her fork, "He always brings that up every single time. Do you know how many times he''s repeated that story to the guards?"

    She shook her head and the fox princess replied, "More than a 100!"

    Astoria smiled and nodded in understanding.

    ''Yes, that is quite embarassing,'' she thought.

    They ate their meal while chatting. Upon finishing their meal, the head chef came back and took their empty dishes, clearing their table.

    "Thank you for the food," Astoria said, a smile plastered on her round face.

    The head chef smiled, bowed, and left.

    "We," Ai began, standing up and carefully lifting her dress in the process, "should get going too. We need to meet my parents in the throne room."

    She nodded and carefully stood up as well. They walked to the throne room, and she was blown away once again by how spectacular throne rooms looked in this world. Truly elegant and expensive. The throne room of Chesropis had modest braziers which encompassed each of the eight onyx columns that lit up the lower levels of the throne room.

    Their light wrapped the hall in a warm, welcoming radiance. The illustrations of kitsune gods and goddesses on the curved ceiling danced in the flickering light. At the same time, statuettes looked down upon the grey wooden floor of this elegant room.

    A cobalt rug split the entire room in half from the doors to the throne while embattled banners with gilded tracery drooped from the walls. Between each purple banner stood several tapers of various sizes. None but a few had been lit and, in turn, illuminated the sculptures of the late royal family members below them.

    Wide, stained glass windows of heavenly mosaics were bordered by drapes colored the same cobalt as the banners. The curtains had been adorned with gold leaves and delicate patterns. A grand throne of brass sat amidst two medium-sized statues. It was adjoined by five similar but smaller seats for the royal highness'' direct family.

    The throne was covered in intricate designs and a jade dagger fixed on each of the broad ears. The bulky purple pillows were light cobalt, and these too have been adorned with ornate tufts. Those expecting an audience with their royal highness could do so on the abundance of decorated but somewhat uncomfortable oak benches.

    These oak benches were perfectly aligned in rows. Those of higher standing could instead take a seat in the specially built balconies facing the benches below. Astoria found the king, queen, and Yoshito sitting on their designated royal seats. They were elegantly dressed and really had the aura of royalty.

    "We''re here," Ai exclaimed, waving at them.

    She bowed at them and stood with her arms clasped in front of her body. The queen scanned her from head to toe and curled her lips.

    "As I thought," the queen began, a triumphant smirk on her face, "I really know how to pick the perfect dress. You two look absolutely stunning."

    Astoria smiled and thanked her. Yoshito gave them a thumbs-up, and the king nodded at his wife''s statement.

    He cleared his throat and stood up. "We should get going. The festival can only begin once we get there."

    Everyone nodded. The king and queen walked in front while Ai walked behind them. Astoria found herself walking with Yoshito by her side. It was a bit awkward as she had no idea what to say. After all, she had barely seen him since she got here. She only saw him once, and that was during yesterday''s meal.

    ''What did Nexi discuss with him?'' she wondered.

    Yoshito was not much of a talker himself. Compared to his younger sister Ai, and his older brother Yashiro, he was a complete introvert. He would only speak when spoken to or when necessary. He cleared his throat and said to her.

    "Are you feeling better today?"

    She nodded. "Yeah, I''m completely healed now."

    "That''s good to hear. You must have been worried sick about my brother fighting Saxhish," he told her.

    They were now standing in front of the palace carriages.

    "Yes," she said.

    Honestly, she was. For some odd reason, she had been worried about his brother. Would he manage to defeat her? Would he not get severely injured? Would Saxhish bite him? Why wasn''t he back yet? It''s been more than two hours, and he still wasn''t back yet?

    No word from his parents or sister about the progress of the mission. Is that bad? Such questions had been racing through her mind when she waited for him. So, yes, she had been worried about his safety.

    "One thing you must remember about my brother," Yoshito began, "is that he never fails his missions."

    She stared at the second son of the Kuba family. The glint in his eyes and his facial expression showed me just how much he had faith in his older brother, just like Ai did. She wished that Nexi''s siblings, Naida and Morven, would treat Nexi like their little sister. That they would cherish her like the Kuba siblings adored each other.

    She shook her head. "I''ll keep that in mind from now on."

    Yoshito pursed his lips in contentment. He was as dashing as his older brother and wore a clean white shirt. It was left unbuttoned at the top for a more casual look. On top of the shirt, he was wearing a sleek vest with six buttons. It had a fairly deep v-line, which caused the vest to line up perfectly with the black jacket''s v-line when it was buttoned up.

    The jacket perfectly wrapped around his body. It had a simple but elegant blanket plaid pattern, giving the suit a dignified and elegant look. The five buttons of his double-breasted jacket were all buttoned up, giving him a sophisticated look. The jacket was the same length all around. It had vents on either side. There was a pocket on either side and a breast pocket that contained a stylish pocket square.

    He was wearing pants that had a different style than the jacket. However, they complemented each other perfectly and perfectly complimented his shoes. He wore a stylish pair of black perf toe balmorals. To top it all off, he wore an elegant belt accompanied by a brooch and a scarf.

    To her, he looked like he could appear on The Bachelor and have a ton of women swoon over him. She believed he would be the perfect candidate who would skyrocket the show''s ratings in such a way that he would make history as the highest viewed bachelor on The Bachelor.

    "My wife and I will take this carriage," the king instructed, pointing at a purple carriage, "You three will use the white one."

    With that, they sat inside the carriage, and it began to leave. Yoshito and her walked to the white carriage and sat inside. Ai followed.. They set off to the festival, everyone secretly feeling excited about it for their own reasons.

 Chapter 48 - His Queen

    With that, they sat inside the purple carriage, and it began to leave. Yoshito and her walked to the white carriage and sat inside. Ai followed. They set off for the festival, everyone secretly feeling excited about it for their own reasons.

    "I cannot wait to show everyone my paintings," Ai stated, placing her hand on her heart, excitement radiating from her.

    "I''m sure they will be sold out in seconds," Yoshito praised her, nodding his head.

    Ai shook her head vigorously. "You give me too much credit, big brother."

    "I''m telling the truth, though," he said, raising an eyebrow, "but maybe they will not be sold out in a few seconds."

    Ai and Astoria laughed simultaneously.

    "However, they will be sold out," Prince Yoshito assured his little sister.

    Ai was beaming, rubbing her hands together and unable to sit still. She was anticipating today. The Festival of Paint was a festival that she absolutely loved as she showcased her art to a larger audience, mainly tourists from other kingdoms.

    When her art was bought, she would use that money to purchase potion ingredients and supplies. After all, she wanted to become a potion maker. You might be wondering why she needed to buy those things for her potions since she was a royal princess? I mean, don''t the Kuba royal family have immense wealth?

    Yes. Yes, they do. However, her father, king Takeshi, did not support her desire to be a potion maker, so he would refuse if she ever asked for money to buy materials and the sort. Don''t worry, though. He will come to accept it eventually. Her mother, queen Natsumi, supported her daughter''s dream, though much to her husband''s dissatisfaction. She would secretly slip her a few Gnaxiza (the currency used in Chesrops) notes to buy whatever materials and supplies her daughter needed.

    "I hope they will," Ai said, crossing her fingers.

    Meanwhile, the king and queen sat silently in their carriage, hands entwined. Queen Natsumi was elegantly dressed in a dress that covered her shoulders almost entirely and flowed down into an elegant court neckline. It was a relaxed fit, making the dress pleasant to wear and look at. Her arms were covered all the way down to her wrists. The sleeves were a tight but comfortable fit from top to bottom, allowing enough movement while still looking stylish.

    The dress'' waist was broad, but it was a comfortable fit. A bow was wrapped around her and rested gently on her belly. Below the waist, the dress fit snugly around her and had a wrap style. The dress reached just above her knees and was the same length all around. She was wearing kitten heels, which added to the simplicity and elegance. To top it off, she wore a simple but stylish necklace and several elegant bracelets.

    On the other hand, king Takeshi wore a smooth shirt and buttoned it up entirely to support the elegant tie he was wearing. On top of the shirt was a stylish vest with five buttons. It had a narrow v-line, making the top visible even when the suit''s jacket was buttoned up.

    The jacket fits him like a glove, a tailored glove. It had an intricate rope-stricken pattern which made it look stylish and graceful. The five buttons of his single-breasted jacket were all buttoned up, except one. It added a casual touch to the elegant look. The jacket was longer at the back with a vent. There was a single pocket on one side, and a breast pocket left empty.

    He wore pants that had the same style as the jacket. They complemented each other perfectly, and they perfectly complimented his shoes. He wore a great pair of brogue monk straps, and to top it all off, a fancy belt which was accompanied by a tie clip.

    "Did I mention how absolutely stunning you look?" he asked her, smiling with his eyes and mouth.

    She shook her head yes. "Yes, but I think I need to hear it one more time."

    He touched her hair which was left open, and pulled her closer to him in a flirtatious manner. King Takeshi ran his finger down her spine, his claw gently brushing her skin. This caused her to part her lips softly, and his pupils dilated. King Takeshi was known as a very loving and possessive husband for his queen.

    "You''re absolutely stunning, my queen," he whispered in her ear.

    He found Natsumi to be more beautiful than any woman he had ever met. More beautiful than any Goddess. He always thanked the kitsune gods for sending her to him. She was a reliable, calm, and talkative woman who was not born into a royal family. She lived in peace until she was about 50 years old. At that point, her life changed, and not for the better. Her parents and older sister had been slaughtered by bounty hunters.

    Why, you ask? Her family was part of a resistance movement created by the Pacifism Movement political party. Their aim was to bring peace between the two kingdoms, Crouvia and Otrawen. They had constantly been at war more than a hundred years ago. The bounty hunters were dispatched by the Otrawen Kingdom to annihilate anyone who resisted their king''s rules.

    The king of Otrawen even massacred some of his own people. It was a horrible time for her, and while trying to escape, she had fainted along the way. Thankfully, she was met with King Takeshi''s great grandfather, who, together with other warrior kitsune''s, were deployed to assist the Crouvia kingdom.

    That day, she was saved and lived in the palace as a maid, meeting King Takeshi in the process. Years later, King Takeshi''s father told him to pick a bride for his time as king of Chesrops was almost up. His son needed a woman who would stay by his side and lead the people and kingdom with a steady and loving heart. He picked her, a mere maid with no family or royal background.

    He had picked her because he was in love with the kitsune she was. He wanted to cherish her and make her forget all her hardships and misfortunes. Two years later, the king had passed on, and he became the new king of Chesropis, with Natsumi by his side as queen. They had a family, and now, here they were.

    She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "And you''re absolutely dashing."

    He smiled, returning her hug. He lightly and longingly kissed her mouth and gave an enigmatic smile when he sensed her face heating up. He pulled away and moved some loose curls behind her ears. She was in a dazed state as she looked up through her lashes and bit her lip, her body overcome with desire.

    "If you want more," she heard him say, a glint of desire in his eyes, "you''ll have to wait for me to ravish you tonight."

    She just sat there, unable to move. Her gaze was fixed on her husband. A few seconds later, she smiled, placing her head on his sturdy, broad shoulders.

    "I wish it was night already," she breathed out.

    When Astoria arrived in the middle of Yuudai city, she stared at the number of citizens dressed in royalty. They all looked so elegant. It almost felt like it was Halloween because some were in their kitsune''s forms while others were in human form.

    "Wow," she said, "Everyone looks and feels like royalty."

    "I know, right," Ai giggled, standing next to her with Yoshito.

    King Takeshi and queen Natsumi were greeting some citizens. The city was bustling with noise. There was a podium set in the middle, and the king and queen walked towards it, causing the citizens and tourists to gather around. Everyone was chatting excitedly. The king cleared his throat, causing everyone to quieten down.

    "Welcome," King Takeshi roared, "to Chesropis'' great and awaited Festival of Paint. I wish everyone an enjoyable time. To those who will be offering their goods and services, I wish you all a successful transaction."

    The crowd began to whisper among themselves, excitement radiating off their bodies.

    "Let the Festival of Paint begin!" King Takeshi exclaimed, holding his arms out.

    The citizens roared in excitement and began to walk to their shops. Tourists and citizens made their way to the shops they wanted to look at and purchase items.

    "Nexi, you''re with me," Ai proclaimed, holding her hand and pulling her towards where her stall was situated, not giving her time to react.

    "Um, see you later, Prince Yoshito!" Astoria yelled and waved at him as she was being dragged away by Ai.

    Yoshito chuckled and waved back, watching his sister drag Nexi away. He met up with his parents, and they looked at him with raised eyebrows.

    "Where''s your sister and Nexi?" Queen Natsumi questioned.

    "Ai was in a hurry so..."

    "They left?" the king finished, to which Yoshito nodded.

    Queen Natsumi burst out in laughter. "Typical Ai, she must be very excited.. You both know how much she loves showing off her paintings to everyone during this time."

 Chapter 49 - His Shining Moon

    (Authors Note: This chapter mainly focuses on a BL couple, so if BL is not your cup of tea, please refrain from reading this chapter and wait for the next chapter. Thanks.)

    Queen Natsumi burst out in laughter. "Typical Ai, she must be very excited. You both know how much she loves showing off her paintings to everyone during this time."

    The men nodded, knowing all too well how Ai was. King Takeshi clasped his wife''s hand and looked at his son.

    "Well, we''re off too, son. We will see you later."

    With that, they left, leaving prince Yoshito by himself. He sighed, fixed his hair and jacket, and then walked to someone he dearly missed. It was a five-minute walk to where his special person would be.

    The curly-haired red-headed prince had not been able to see his other half in two weeks as the male fox was away on a business trip. His face lit up at the thought of setting his eyes on his special fox once again.

    "Kenshin Adam!" Prince Yoshito exclaimed, waving at him.

    The blonde, short-haired fox with a well-proportioned face glanced up from what he was doing. His ears perked up when he heard his name. He was in his natural form, his ears and tail moving happily as he set his eyes on the prince. Piercing hazel eyes, set gracefully within their sockets, observed merrily as the prince stepped towards him.

    A sheepish grin was plastered on his face. This was the face of Kenshin Adam, a well-known businessman in the city of Yuudai. Something was appealing about him. Perhaps it was his sense of critical thinking and intuitiveness for business. Nonetheless, many businessmen and women tended to stay on his good side because of his great sense of business expertise.

    Adam was a fox who worked with gemstones, creating beautiful and elegant masterpieces sought after by people of high status, namely royals. The gems he mainly used for his creative masterpieces were sapphires, Fire Agates, Star Garnets, and diamonds. These were used to create weapons and jewelry. Sapphires were pear cut and the size of a fig. This gem was widely sought after as it was a common gemstone species in the Kingdom of Chesropis.

    The Fire Agate gem with a baguette-cut and the size of a bean was always in excellent condition and also widely sought after. Women were the primary users of this gem as it was quite a rare gemstone worldwide. Legend has it that the Fire Agate gem contains enhancing properties that can increase fertility in women.

    This was why it was popular among women. The Star Garnet gem with a briolette cut and the size of blueberry has an appealing look. It is highly sought after as it contains desirable properties which can be used for great offensive spell enhancements.

    Finally, he used diamonds with a marquise cut. These diamonds are the size of a fist and are constantly in high demand because they can create diverse weapons. Diamonds contain electric properties that make for great offensive weapons such as swords, rifles, and staves.

    "Yoshito!" he greeted back, radiating happiness.

    "It''s so great to see you again," Prince Yoshito began, then whispered in his ear, "I missed you so much."

    Adam pursed his lips as his face flushed red. The fox prince grinned in satisfaction at Adam''s reaction.

    "How has business been lately?" he asked, tilting his head down to stare at the jewelry pieces Adam had been placing on the table.

    Adam was planning on selling these pieces today. He had made jewelry for males and females. He stared at Yoshito, who was examining the jewelry.

    "Business has been booming as always," he answered the prince, his gaze fixed on Yoshito''s face.

    Prince Yoshito shook his head. "And the business trip?"

    "Exhausting, but successful," Adam answered.

    Yoshito nodded and smiled. He stared at Adam, who was placing other jewelry pieces on the table. He took some of the pieces from the enormous boxes, which were packed in a corner, and put them on the table.

    "Let me help you," Yoshito said, gently placing the jewelry neatly on the table.

    "Thanks," Adam said once they were done.

    "These are stunning pieces," Yoshito praised him.

    He turned to face Adam, a glint of awe and admiration in his ocean blue eyes.

    "Did you, perhaps, make me something?" he playfully asked the fox, gently nudging his side.

    Adam nodded, walked to the corner, and crouched down, opening one of the enormous boxes placed in the corner. He came back with a medium-sized black box covered in a silver bow. Yoshito gasped, staring at the black box with his eyes wide open. Adam stood up and held the box to him, biting his lip in anticipation. The fox hoped that Yoshito would like what he made him.

    Yoshito blinked multiple times, still shocked that Adam actually made him something. It was the first time. He looked up at him and took the box, opening it. Inside was a short stave of about 30 cm. Primal titanium formed the base of this sensational stave. The stave itself had the appearance of a thin tree-like structure with a simple handle, which had been wrapped in leather with gilded linings.

    The bottom ended in a thick, decorated cylinder made of wood. It had been decorated with small talon-like spikes in a row, giving it a spine-like appearance. The top was made out of first-rate metal. It was crafted into a laurel shape, decorated with a glowing gray orb carefully encased in prongs shaped like a fox.

    "Wow," Yoshito breathed out, his gaze fixed on the impressively made stave.

    "It took me a month to make. I call it The Shining Moon," he heard Adam softly say.

    "The Shining Moon?" he asked, tilting his head.

    Adam shook his head yes. "The glowing gray orb represents the moon. You''re my shining moon."

    "Are you sure this is for me, though?" he asked Adam, staring into the fox''s hazel eyes.

    Adam stared back at him, furrowing his brows in confusion. "Hmm? Yeah, of course. Why wouldn''t it be for you?"

    "W-well, it''s just this is too great a stave to just give to me..."

    Adam stood in front of Yoshito, held the fox''s free hand, and leaned forward.

    "Is that so? Well, I made it great since it''s for you, my prince," he stated, "You''re the only one for me, Yoshito. In this life and the next, and the one after that. Forever."

    Yoshito blushed, avoiding eye contact with the man that never failed to make his heart race. He squeezed Adam''s hand and smiled.

    "Thank you," he beamed.

    Adam smiled and nodded, then let go of his hand. He watched as Yoshito stood next to him, the box held tightly in his hand. He internally pumped his fist in the air, feeling triumphant that Yoshito loved the gift.

    "Excuse me," Adam heard a voice say, causing him to avert his gaze to the individual the voice belonged to.

    It was a female customer and her face flushed upon noticing how handsome the blonde fox was. She bit her lip, fixing her hair in the process. She gave a dashing smile. Her smile was as bright as that of a child. Prince Yoshito internally frowned, pressing his lips together in annoyance.

    "May I help you?" Adam asked her.

    Any other fox would be taken away by this customer''s beauty. Not Adam, though. His heart only held a place for the young fox prince.

    "Yes," she replied, "How much for this bracelet?"

    "It''s a GZ100," he stated.

    She nodded and gave him the money. He placed the bracelet in a silver box and tied a pink bow around it. He handed her the box, and she made sure she purposely touched his fingers. Prince Yashiro almost growled at her intentional act.

    It was clear that she was flirting with Adam. Did Adam not see that, or was he just unbothered? The female customer left, and Adam turned to Yoshito, only to find a sour expression on the handsome red-headed prince. He smiled in amusement, knowing the reason for his lover''s expression.

    "What''s with that sour expression on your face?" he questioned, holding back a knowing smile.

    "She was flirting with you," Adam heard the prince snarl.

    Yoshito widened his eyes when he heard Adam let out a manly laugh.

    "Why''s that funny?" he asked, puffing out his cheeks.

    "Because you''re jealous," Adam replied, crossing his arms and lifting his eyebrow in amusement.

    "W-what? Me? Jealous? N-never!" Yoshito stammered, struggling to maintain eye contact with him.

    "Uh-huh," Adam creased his brow in disbelief.

    He found the prince extremely adorable right now and wanted to kiss him. He sighed and leaned forward, running his knuckle down Yoshito''s cheek.

    "Don''t worry," he began to assure him, "My heart only has room for one shining moon."

    Yoshito pouted. "And who''s that moon?"

    Adam laughed, pulled his hand away, and leaned back, facing the front. He stared at the customers that were heading his way.

    He grinned.. "You."

 Chapter 50 - Artistic Kistune

    "Wait, Ai. I''m about to fall!" Astoria blurted as Ai dragged her away.

    Ai let go of her and bowed several times apologetically.

    "Sorry, I got too excited and couldn''t wait any further. My stall is a little further. Let''s go."

    Astoria laughed and followed close behind while examining the stalls as she passed them. The stalls sold clothing, plants, potions, flowers, weapons, herbs and spices, and food. She made sure to take a mental note of the stalls that caught her eye.

    She saw some equipment and prizes for fun games which were set up. She definitely wanted to try those games out. Ai was also examining the stalls and smiled at the citizens and tourists who bowed at her and Astoria as they walked past.

    "Here we are," Ai said, pointing at her stall.

    It was a flowery decorated stall. She had placed her painting kit in the corner. This was in case a customer wanted her to paint something for them on the spot or if she ran out of paintings to sell.

    "Your stall is beautiful," Astoria complimented, running her hands gently over the flower petals.

    Ai smiled, crinkling her eyes and nose. "Thank you. Decorated it myself."

    Ai began to put some paintings on display, and Astoria helped her. They stood behind the table and waited for customers. The fox princess was rubbing her hands in anticipation and licked her lips. Astoria noticed that she was unable to sit still.

    She smiled at her. After five minutes, potential customers gathered in front of her stall. Ai could not help but smile at the sight and began to attend to the customers.

    "May I help you?" she asked one customer, a male dwarf.

    The dwarf nodded. "How much for this painting?"

    He pointed to a red and white mushroom house painting with a rainbow in the background. Ai smiled and stood next to the painting.

    "This painting is GZ50," she replied, pointing at it.

    The dwarf grinned in delight upon hearing the low price. Astoria was wide-eyed, shocked at the meager price.

    ''A beautiful and meticulously painted painting like that should not be sold at such a low price,'' Astoria thought.

    The dwarf paid Ai the money, and she carefully gave him the art piece. She bowed her head at the dwarf, her hands clasped in front of her.

    "Thank you for buying," she beamed as he walked away.

    Ai attended to the customers, and Astoria helped bring the paintings to them. By the time thirty minutes had passed, Ai had sold most of her paintings.

    "Let''s take a break," Ai said, grabbing a sign that said, ''Will be back soon.''

    She hung it on the side of the stall. Astoria nodded, and they sat down. They stretched out their hands and legs as they relaxed.

    "Why do you sell your paintings at such cheap prices?" Astoria could not help but ask.

    Ai smiled and raised her chin.

    "Well," she began, "to me, it''s not about how much my paintings are sold for. The mere fact that other creatures genuinely love my paintings and acknowledge my artistic talent makes me content."

    "I see," Astoria smiled, "It''s amazing how quickly they got sold."

    "I know, right."

    "You are amazing," Astoria cheered, giving the artistic fox a thumbs up.

    Ai chortled. "Thank you, and thanks for helping me."

    The fox stood up and held out her hand for Astoria. She took it and stared at Ai in confusion.

    ''Is our break over already?'' she wondered, totally baffled.

    "Let''s go take a look at the other stalls and grab something delicious to eat. Once we are done with that, we will get back to selling my paintings," Ai suggested.

    Astoria nodded but then realized something. "But Ai, you only have three paintings left out of your thirty paintings. Is that not too little?"

    Ai shook her head. "Don''t worry. When we come back, I''ll start painting new ones. Let''s go."

    They then left and stopped at a stall that sold plants. An old fox was the owner. Ai turned to Astoria.

    "I use plants, herbs, and spices when making my potions, so we''ll stop by stalls that sell that and buy some. Once we''re done, we can get something to eat and do whatever we want. Does that sound good to you?" Ai stated, wanting to make sure the princess Nexi was okay with her suggestion.

    "Yeah, sounds good," Astoria agreed.

    Ai smiled and nodded. They stared at the different plants displayed on the table. Some of the plants looked exotic, while others were ordinary. Ai stared at a light red plant. She pointed to it and looked up at the owner.

    "Is this a Euryale Palustris plant?" she asked, her voice showing a glint of shock and amazement.

    "Yes, your highness," the owner answered.

    "Wow," was all Ai could utter as she stared at the plant.

    Ai definitely wanted it. No, she needed it. It can be a powerful plant to add to her potions.

    "What''s so great about this E-euryal-"

    "This Euryale Palustris plant?" Ai assisted Astoria, who was struggling to pronounce the plant''s name.

    ''Man, I''ve said this, and I will say it again,'' Astoria thought, ''This world really has unusual and hard-to-pronounce names.''

    She nodded at the fox. Ai smiled and carefully held the plant in her hand.

    "This, Nexi," Ai began to explain, "is an extraordinary plant in that it is a common, medium-sized plant and can be found in most forests. It only blooms once every two years and only for a month."

    "Once every two years and for one month?" Astoria asked, raising her eyebrows in awe and shock.

    Ai nodded. "I''ve only read about it in books I found in the palace library."

    "This plant," the owner continued explaining, a smile plastered on his face, "has narrow, fan-shaped leaves and grows decent-sized flowers which are either dark silver, gold, or dark purple in colour. The flowers can be used for medicinal purposes while the plant can be used for potion making."

    "Wow," Astoria said, that''s truly amazing, "But what kind of properties does it have to be used for potion making?"

    "Healing properties," Ai answered.

    She watched as Ai asked for that plant and if he had any Ember Moss, Fade Chicory, Arctic Creeper, Blister Mallow, and Hybernation Tarragon plants. She wondered what potion Ai was going to make with these plants. The owner had everything she asked for except for the Hybernation Tarragon plant.

    She watched as the owner put the plants in separate bags with labels on each. Ai paid the owner GZ250 and they waved him goodbye.

    "Huh," Ai breathed out as she turned around and began to walk away from the owner.

    Astoria looked at her. "What''s wrong?"

    Ai squinted her eyes and frowned. "I forgot how expensive ingredients for potions are. If only my father would help me out!"

    Astoria nodded, understanding how hard it must be for the princess to follow her dream with insufficient funds.

    "Thankfully," Ai said, stopping at an owner who was selling Hybernation Tarragon plants, "I have a source of income from the paintings I sell."

    Ai pointed at the plant and held out two fingers. The owner nodded and placed two Hybernation Tarragon plants into a plastic bag and labeled it. She paid, bowed, and thanked the owner, taking the plastic bag from him.

    "At least my mother helps me," she then laughed, "Although she has to hide it from my father. I think he knows, though, but isn''t saying anything which is kind of strange."

    "And a bit scary if you think about it," Astoria added.

    "Tell me about it," Ai agreed, laughing.

    They then stopped at a stall that sold glass jars and potion bottles. Ai pointed to three small potion bottles, and the owner put them in a plastic bag. She paid for it and held the plastic in her hand.

    "I''ll help you carry some of your stuff. Let me hold the plastic bag with the plants," Astoria suggested, and Ai nodded, handing her the plastic bag.

    They stopped at a stall selling herbs and spices. The owner took Astoria by surprise as it was a birdfolk. This creature had a humanoid body, a bird''s head, and feathers. It was a bit disturbing for her to see a humanoid bird, reminding her that there were many creatures she was yet to see.

    "Hi, sir," Ai greeted the blue and white birdfolk.

    "Good day, your highness," the birdfolk greeted back.

    Ai stared at the different herbs and spices, biting her lip as she carefully examined them. She was like that for a good five minutes until the birdfolk cleared his throat. They both looked up at him.

    "You can''t tell the herbs and spices apart, right?" he casually asked Ai, to which she nodded, blushing.

    There were just too many herbs and spices to memorise. Ai was still working on memorising herbs, spices, and plants.. She still had a long way to go before knowing all the herbs, spices, and plants that exist out there.

 Chapter 51 - Shapeshifter

    There were just too many herbs and spices to memorise. Ai was still working on memorising herbs, spices, and plants. She still had a long way to go before knowing all the herbs, spices, and plants that exist out there.

    "What do you need?" he asked the fox princess.

    "Luqu leaves, Queen''s Grass, Blue Peppermint, and Shimmer Anise," she replied.

    He nodded and began finding those herbs and spices, placing them into separate labeled jars. She thankfully smiled and took the jars placed in a plastic bag. She paid GZ800 for that! Talk about expensive.

    "And we''re done," Ai stated, "Let''s go grab something to eat."

    The aroma of delicious food and snacks was sifting through the air. The wind whistled through the surrounding trees. Their mouths began to salivate as they saw meat being fried. The sizzling sound of meat on pans and open fires made Astoria''s stomach softly grumble.

    "I''m with you on that," Ai chuckled upon hearing the grumbling sound, "Let''s find some drinks and burgers."

    They stopped by a female human who was frying some burger patties. She smiled upon seeing the two princesses joining the queue. There were many customers, so the two had to stand in a line and wait their turn. Ai standing in the queue, could not sit still as she was excited about devouring a delicious burger.

    "Do you smell that?" Ai asked, sniffing the meat-scented air.

    "It smells incredible," Astoria replied.

    The food in this world tasted nothing like what she had in her world. Although the food was similar with a subtle difference. It was finally their turn, and they stood in front of the shapeshifter.

    "Princess Ai and princess Nexi. I''m honoured to be able to serve you two," the shapeshifter gushed.

    She was dressed in medieval clothing. Her delicate dress flowed from top to bottom with a v-neck, which subtly revealed the graceful dress worn below it. The smooth, corset-like, tied fabric of her dress covered her stomach. A long leather belt was worn high around her waist.

    Below the leather belt, the dress flowed down wide and hid the dress below. The front of the top dress was longer than the bottom dress and curved outwards. The back continued to flow long behind her and ended in a narrow rectangle.

    Her sleeves were incredibly long and narrow. Their flow was broken up below the elbow as they were divided by wide, modest bands. These were the same fabric and colour used to outline the bottom of her dress.

    "I did not think I would get to meet the two of you today. I really thank the gods," she exclaimed, a glint of happiness and admiration in her bright gold eyes.

    "Wow. It''s my first time seeing a shapeshifter up close," Ai expressed.

    The woman''s eyes widened in shock. "How did you know that I was a shapeshifter?"

    Ai grinned, standing proudly. "My brother taught me how to tell if a creature or human is a shapeshifter."

    Ai leaned forward and whispered. "Right now, it''s your eyes. Only mystical eye colours exist for canine shapeshifters. The mystical colours are bright gold or yellow, steel blue, and red."

    The woman nodded. "Ah, I see. Yes, I''m actually a Beta werewolf."

    "Wow," Astoria said, wide-eyed, "That''s pretty cool. I have never seen a werewolf before."

    The woman smiled. "If you wanna continue chatting with me, I would really love that as I came here for a well-deserved break. I will be here before midnight strikes. For now, what kind of burger do you want me to make?"

    Astoria and Ai nodded. The fox princess asked for a cheeseburger, while Astoria wanted a beef burger. The werewolf nodded and began to make their burgers. She looked like a professional chef from the way she prepared their order.

    Her movements were both fast and precise. The two princesses watched her, their gaze fixed on her movements.  After five minutes, their orders were done.

    "Here you go," the woman said, giving them a brown bag that had their food inside.

    "Would you like drinks with that?" she further asked, raising an eyebrow.

    Astoria tilted her head and pressed her lips together, wondering what kind of drinks this world had.

    ''It''s not like I can say I want a Pepsi. Maybe they do have the same kind of drinks as the ones in my world?'' she thought.

    "I have Cherry Earthquake, Strawberry Wacker, Mountain Java, White Wine Infusion, and Tropic Dark Beer," the woman explained.

    ''Never mind,'' Astoria realised, ''It''s definitely not the same. Has the same ingredients but definitely doesn''t exist in my world.''

    "Ooh," Ai crooned, impressed by the choices, "I''ll have the Strawberry Wacker."

    She turned to Astoria. "What do you want to drink?"

    "Oh, I''ll have the Strawberry Wacker too," Astoria responded.

    Ai nodded and said, "Two Strawberry Wackers, please."

    The woman prepared their drinks, and Ai turned to face Astoria.

    "If I was done with selling my paintings," she began, "I would have asked for an ice-cold Tropic Dark Beer, but my father does not allow me to drink. Something about it being unbecoming of a future queen."

    Astoria watched as Ai pouted, her expression hinting that she was a bit disappointed.

    ''An ice-cold beer does sound good, but I''m a princess just like Ai, so I cannot have any alcohol right now,'' Astoria internally agreed.

    "Here you go," the woman said, handing them their drinks.

    Astoria took the drinks, and Ai paid the woman.

    "It was a pleasure to meet you two," the woman stated, bowing her head.

    "Thank you for the food," Ai beamed, raising the bag with their food in the air.

    "Do you have a stall somewhere, or are you just a customer this time?" the werewolf woman asked, her bright golden eyes fixed on Ai.

    Ai nodded and pointed in the direction of her stall. "Yeah, it''s that way. I''m just taking a break. You can visit me there if you like."

    The werewolf woman nodded. They thanked her again and left to find a place to sit and eat. Astoria turned her head back, glancing at the werewolf whose gaze was fixed on Ai.

    ''That is a bit suspicious and creepy,'' Astoria thought and turned away.

    They found a seating area that had round tables and seats. Many tourists and creatures were relaxing there. They were either chatting excitedly or having a meal. Astoria and Ai sat down, placing their bags in one place.

    They began to eat their food, enjoying how delicious it was.  Astoria took a sip of the Strawberry Wacker and widened her eyes at the delicious taste.

    "The drink tastes great too," Ai complimented.

    Astoria nodded, and they continued to eat their food. They chatted in between their meal and had a few laughs in the process. She found that she got along quite well with the fox princess. Perhaps because Ai really liked Nexi and stuck to her like glue, so they quickly got used to each other''s company?

    The city was filled with the sounds of laughter, dancing, music, and games being played. It made Astoria forget about her predicament for a while. She forgot about Cosmo X, Jigger, and that her soul was in another woman''s body.

    ''When was the last time I felt like this? Completely free from my worries and predicaments?'' she asked herself.

    Ai devoured her meal like a hungry fox and, when she was done, let out a long sigh of satisfaction. She was now fully content. She grabbed her drink and leaned back, lifting it to her lips. She then stared intently at Astoria as if examining her.

    "What is it?" Astoria asked, shifting in her seat, "Is there something on my face?"

    Astoria began to wipe her face with a serviette, and Ai shook her head ''no.'' Astoria tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.

    "Then what-"

    "What the hell are you doing here, my stubborn older brother?" Ai interrupted her, staring at the figure standing behind Astoria.

    ''Oh,'' she thought, ''Ai was staring at prince Yashiro, not me.''

    Astoria immediately stiffened when she realised he was behind her.

    ''Yeah. What the hell is he doing here?'' she wondered, rubbing the nape of her neck.

    "Nice to see you too," he joked, taking a seat next to Astoria.

    She shifted away from him, keeping a distance between them.

    "You didn''t leave me some food?" he asked Ai, tapping his fingers on the table.

    "Buy your own," Ai blurted, "I was spoiling Nexi, so I only bought for her."

    He playfully pouted. "Can''t you spoil your older brother too?"

    "No," Ai simply replied, drinking her Strawberry Wacker.

    He softly laughed and rested his chin on his hand, his eyes now fixed on Astoria.

    "Are you enjoying being spoilt, Nexi?" he asked her, a glint of amusement in his gray eyes.

    She just nodded, unable to utter a word.

    ''Wow, Nexi,'' she thought, ''This wounded prince is totally smitten by your very existence.''

 Chapter 52 - Date With A Wounded Prince

    ''Wow, Nexi,'' she thought, ''This wounded prince is totally smitten by your very existence.''

    "Again," Ai said, clearing her throat to get her brother''s attention, "I asked you what you are doing here? You''re wounded and should be in the infirmary or in bed resting."

    He threw his head back and laughed. Leaning forward, he smiled at his little sister.

    "Yes, yes," he agreed, shaking his head.

    He crossed his arms. "I should be in bed, but..."

    He tilted his head up and stared into Astoria''s cobalt eyes.

    This caused her to stare back into his gray ones. Her mouth slightly parted as she felt like his gaze bore into her soul.

    "...there is someone I really, really I want to spend time with."

    She became nervous and licked her lips, averting her eyes when she snapped out of the staring contest  they were having.

    "Uh-huh," Ai mumbled, staring at her brother and his fianc��.

    Prince Yashiro sat up and leaned back with his hands behind his head.

    "So you want to take princess Nexi from me?" Ai asked, a pout on her face.

    Yashiro nodded.

    "Well fine," Ai nodded, standing up.

    "Wait. What?" Astoria asked, darting her eyes back and forth at the fox princess and her older brother.

    "You can have her," Ai stated, finishing her Strawberry Wacker.

    Ai threw the plastic cup in the bin, crouched down, and grabbed her belongings. She stood up and smiled at Astoria who had an expression that yelled, ''Please don''t leave me. I wanna go with you.''

    "I''ll leave her in your care, big brother, " Ai began, "but you better buy her whatever she wants."

    Prince Yashiro shook his head ''yes'' and crossed his arms.

    "If I hear that she was unhappy with you for any reason," she emphasised, crouching down so that she could whisper in her brother''s ear, "I will make you drink a potion that will turn you into a frog for a day."

    Her brother threw his head back and shook with laughter.  Astoria stared at him, wondering what his sister said that was so funny.

    "Have fun, Nexi," Ai said, "If you get bored with him, you know where to find me."

    Ai winked at her and walked away, leaving Astoria alone with the wounded fox prince.  He sighed and turned his attention to the Ashen Kingdom''s princess.

    "My sister can be so scary sometimes," he told her, resting his chin on his hand.

    "Oh, r-really?" Astoria asked, drinking her Strawberry Wacker.

    "She said she''ll turn me into a frog if I make you unhappy today."

    Astoria could not help but smile. He watched her lips curl into a smile and his heart did a little jump. Of course, Doctor Xion had yelled at him for wanting to go to the festival. However, he let the fox prince go on condition that he should return to the infirmary the minute he begins to feel a sudden rush of pain.

    Prince Yashiro stood up and held his hand out for Astoria to take. She stared at his hand which was slightly bandaged as a result of the fight with Saxhish. In fact, a bandage was slightly wrapped around the fox''s neck. She could tell that he was in some level of pain because of the fight.

    She hesitantly placed her hand in his and he beamed. She stood up and they stood facing each other. Feeling the heat radiating from his hand, she blushed a bit.

    ''This is all so foreign to me,'' she thought, ''I have never held a man''s hand unless it was when I was cuffing criminals.''

    "What do you want to do, princess?" he asked her.

    Being called ''princess'' made her heart do a little jump in excitement. She did have something she wanted to try out. When she had been passing the stalls, she noticed a sniping game. It reminded her of being a policewoman and she wanted to hold a gun again, even if it was a toy gun.

    "There is something that I want to do," she smiled, looking into his gray eyes.

    He wondered what she wanted to do that made her smile like that. He also noticed that her eyes held a glint of excitement and anticipation in them. He''s wearing a plain shirt and left it unbuttoned at the top for a more casual look. On top of the shirt he''s wearing a trendy vest with 7 buttons, it has a fairly deep v-line, which causes the vest to line up perfectly with the jacket''s v-line when it''s button up.

    The jacket was clearly made for him, it''s a perfect fit. It has an intricate rope strike pattern which makes it look stylish and graceful. The 4 buttons of his double breasted jacket are all buttoned up, it''s the best way to wear a jacket like this after all. The jacket is the same length all around, it has a vent at the back, there''s a single pocket on one side and there''s a breast pocket which has been left empty.

    He''s wearing pants which have the same pattern as the jacket, but a different, complementary color and they create a perfect balance with his shoes. He''s wearing a chich pair of plain toe monkstraps. To top it all off he''s wearing a sleek belt, which can be accompanied by a hat and a watch.

    "Are you all right, dressed like that?" he heard her ask him as they walked to their destination.

    "Hmm? What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "Well," she replied, "as far as I can tell, you are badly injured. Dressing like that while being injured is a bit..."

    "Crazy?" he stated, finishing her sentence.

    "Well, it is not crazy," she answered, biting her lip, "but it is not wise. You should have worn casual clothes since you are injured. Nothing fancy like what you are wearing now. Maybe some loose fitting clothes that are easy for you to walk in?"

    He crinkled his eyes and nose, smiling at her. When he had given her his hand for her to take and she had stood up, he was left awestruck. She looked like a Goddess in her goldenrod-coloured boobyube dress. The way the small, stylish black ribbon accentuated her tiny waist was breathtaking.

    He noticed that as they walked, many eyes were on her. Male creatures stared at her in list, while women envied her. Seeing the hungry eyes of men on his fianc�� almost caused him to growl in both anger and disgust.

    This woman walking next to him was his. Nobody would take her away from him so they should keep their eyes to themselves.  He let out a soft growl which he could not hold back and Astoria stared at him in confusion.

    "Are you feeling pain anywhere?" she asked him, worry evident in her voice, "Do you want to maybe sit down?"

    He stared at her and shook his head ''no''. He was glad she thought that he growled because he was in pain and not that he was angry at all the lustful eyes which were piercing her body.

    "No, I am okay," he replied, a smile on his handsome face.

    She nodded and they walked further, finally reaching their destination. Prince Yashiro''s eyes widened when he saw that they were in the game area.

    ''So, she wanted to try out a few games?'' he thought.

    "I want to try this game," she exclaimed, pointing at the game.

    His eyes widened in shock when he saw the game she was pointing at.

    "A sniper game?" he asked in disbelief.

    She nodded and asked the owner for a try at it. The winter too was surprised that the princess wanted to try such a game. Usually, the men would play the game for their partners so it was a first to see a woman wanting to try it out.

    "Yes, your highness," the owner said, grabbing a plastic shotgun.

    He handed her the shotgun.

    "If you hit all the moving bottles," the owner began to explain, "then you will win a prize. You are intially given three tries. When your tries are over and you did not manage to hit all of them, you can try again and get three new tries. However your previous successes will not count as you will have to restart."

    Astoria nodded, completely understanding how the game went. It was just like the games they had at the circus or amusement park. She took the plastic shotgun from the owner and smiled as she examined its pearl decorations.

    "Well," she said, staring at the fox prince and then the owner, "here I go."

    "Before you begin, there are three levels, easy, intermediate, and hard. The level you choose will determine the speed of the bottles movements," the owner stated.

    "Hmm," Astoria said, placing the plastic shotgun on her shoulder, "Give me the hard level."

    "What?" Yashiro asked, wide-eyed, "Are you sure? They will move at an incredible speed."

    Astoria smiled and nodded. "The hard level, please."

    The owner nodded and hesitantly pressed the button which caused all the bottles to move at an incredible speed. He found this woman standing next to the prince to be a little wierd. Not even the male customers chose the hard level as they knew how difficult it was.

    ''But this woman chose it without hesitation? That''s amazing,'' the owner wondered.

 Chapter 53 - An Imposter?

    "What?" Yashiro asked, wide-eyed, "Are you sure? I have tried this game before, and the bottles move at an incredible speed."

    Astoria smiled and nodded. "That is fine with me. Sir, I pick the hard level."

    The owner nodded and hesitantly pressed the button, which caused all the bottles to move at an incredible speed. He found this woman standing next to the prince to be a little strange. First of all, not even the male customers chose the hard level as they knew how difficult it was.

    Moreover, even if they did select the hard level, the success rate was always 0%. No customer has ever succeeded in shooting all the bottles. The most challenging level customers picked was the intermediate level, and even that had a low success rate.

    ''Yet this woman chose the hard level without hesitation? That is quite interesting,'' the owner thought.

    Her eyes widened in shock upon seeing the speed at which the bottles were moving around. The bottles moved in the air as they were held up by magic. The shotgun itself did not have any real bullets but had magic pebbles that were strong enough to break the bottles but not strong enough to harm a living thing.

    "Wow," she breathed out, her eyes darting back and forth at the moving bottles, "You were not kidding when you said they move at an incredible speed."

    Prince Yashiro nodded. "If you want to change to the easy mo-"

    "No," she said firmly, an excited smile plastered on her face, "I am going to stick to this level."

    Her eyes held a glint of excitement at the current challenge in front of her. She wanted to beat and win this game at all costs or try to. She had learned self-defense at the young age of ten and how to shoot a gun when she was sixteen. Her father used to take her to the indoor shooting range in Leadville.

    She became a rebellious teenager when she had turned sixteen, so her father thought that the only way to control her rebelliousness was to take her to the shooting range. Of course, you might think that her father was an irresponsible parent for thinking of such a coping mechanism for his rebellious daughter.

    However, she had always been interested in things that men would be interested in. Things like self-defense, weapons, war movies, martial arts movies, and wearing tomboyish clothes and the sort was part of her daily life. When her father noticed that she became less rebellious thanks to the shooting range visits, he was relieved and made it a monthly activity.

    Prince Yashiro watched her as she gripped the handle of the gun tight. She raised the gun, which was in her right hand. Her cobalt eyes steadily watched the bottles, and she let out a soft sigh. She closed her eyes, concentrating all her energy on the sound of the bottles. Upon opening them, she pulled the trigger, and both the owner and Yashiro''s eyes widened in shock.

    Two bottles had shattered at the same time as the bullet had gone through one and into the other. Her lips curled into a smile. She fired the shotgun again, carefully and steadily aiming at the bottles. The bottles cracked and broke one by one with every shot. The fox prince watched in awe, unable to move his gaze at the breaking bottles.

    Astoria stood tall as she continued to make firm and precise movements with the plastic shotgun in her hand. Her eyes were darting back and forth. For a moment, it felt like she was alone in the world. Like she was a policewoman again. Like she was at the academy doing target practice.

    With one last bottle moving at an incredible speed, she furrowed her brows and pulled the trigger. The broken glass shattered into pieces, and the game was over. She let out a long sigh of relief and smiled with her eyes and mouth.

    "Yes!" she softly cheered, tilting her head back.

    She pumped her fist in the air, feeling triumphant and shocked that she could shoot fast-moving objects like that. She had no idea she had such a talent, or was it not her talent, but Nexi''s? Either way, she was feeling happy about the outcome of the game.

    ''Well, looks like I still got it. My shooting skills are still great, even in a foreign body,'' she thought, holding out the plastic shotgun to the owner.

    "Thank you," she said, tilting her head and offering a satisfied smile to the owner, "That lifted my mood and made me really happy."

    The owner was too stunned to speak and just blinked multiple times, unable to fathom what he had just witnessed. Who was this woman, and how did she manage to succeed? How can a princess be so great at shooting? These were the kind of questions that ran through the owner''s mind as he took the shotgun from her.

    "H-how?" Prince Yashiro let out a gasp, totally speechless.

    Astoria laughed and placed her hands behind her back, beaming at the owner.

    "What''s my prize?" she asked, totally curious.

    ''Am I gonna get a big ass teddy bear? That would be nice,'' she wondered.

    "Huh?" the owner was in a daze, still shocked at what the princess managed to accomplish that the male customers could not.

    "Oh, right. Since you chose a hard level and managed to succeed, you can choose between a gem-encrusted necklace or bracelet."

    "A gem-encrusted necklace or bracelet, huh?" she repeated, tilting her head and pressing her lips together, deep in thought.

    The owner nodded and took out the necklace and bracelet. Both pieces were equally beautiful and looked rather expensive.

    ''Is it okay to offer such expensive items as gifts just for winning a shooting game?'' she wondered.

    Prince Yashiro was silent the whole time and watched his fianc�� pinch her nose as she thought of which one was better. Personally, he felt that the necklace would be better as it was a simple yet elegant piece of jewelry compared to the bracelet, which seemed rather extravagant in his eyes.

    "Which one do you think I should pick, prince Yashiro? I am not really a materialistic person, so whichever one is fine with me, but which one do you prefer?" he heard her ask him, her eyes staring into his.

    He flinched in surprise when he heard her ask him that question and avoided eye contact. He was still bewildered by her, so his mind had been far away. Coming back to reality, he bit his lip and stared at the two beautiful pieces of jewelry. He pointed to the necklace and saw a smile curl up her lips.

    "Yeah," she said, "I was thinking the same thing. The necklace looks simple but elegant."

    Astoria pointed to the necklace, and the owner nodded, taking it and placing it into a small pink box with a silver ribbon wrapped around it. He handed her her prize, and she smiled, thanking him.

    "This necklace," the owner said, "is not an ordinary necklace as this Ametrine gem has a princess cut and is fairly popular in this kingdom because it contains defensive properties and wards off a certain level of evil spirits."

    Astoria listened attentively and nodded as the owner spoke.

    "Wow," she beamed, "So it is almost like a protective charm?"

    The owner nodded, and she stared at the pink box in her hand.

    "Well, thank you for the prize, sir. We will get going now. Have a great day," she bowed at the owner, and he bowed back.

    They left the stall, and she was in a great mood, softly humming a tune. She was walking with a bit of a bounce in her steps, happiness radiating off of her body.

    ''Man,'' she thought, ''It felt great holding a gun again even if it was a fake. Pulling the trigger felt amazing too.''

    She continued to walk with a bounce in her steps but then abruptly stopped.

    ''Now hold on, the prince has not said a word to me since we left the game,'' she thought, biting her lip, ''He does not think I''m weird or acting strange, right? I did not blow my cover, right?''

    She then turned to face him. His brow was creased, and he was examining her intently. She gulped and held her breath as she watched his mouth open, about to say something to her.

    "You," the fox prince began, "Are you the Nexi that I know, or has something changed?"

    "What do you mean?" she asked him, trying to sound as calm and collected as possible.

    There was no way she could let him find out that she was not Nexi. That she was a policewoman from a different world. That her soul was stuck in this princess''s body and that she had no idea how to go back home or how to bring Nexi''s soul back. He should not find out.. It would just make things complicated, and honestly, things are already getting complicated as is.

 Chapter 54 - Flames Of Desire

    There was no way she could let him find out that she was not Nexi. That she was a policewoman from a different world. That her soul was stuck in this princess''s body and that she had no idea how to go back home or how to bring Nexi''s soul back. He should not find out. It would just make things complicated, and honestly, things are already getting complicated as is.

    "I mean," she heard him continue, "you are just full of unexpected charms this time around. It is almost like you are a totally different person. "

    "What? What do you-"

    "How did you manage to shoot all those bottles in one try, Nexi? You could not even look at a weapon the last time you came here, let alone hold a regular gun. So how...?"

    ''Oh shit,'' she gulped nervously, pursing her lips together.

    They stood in silence for a minute. Creatures walked past them, wondering why they were standing in the middle of the passageway and just staring at each other. Other''s thought they had a lovers quarrel. Astoria quickly searched for something she could say that would not cause her to seem suspicious or like an imposter. She sighed and stared into his gray eyes.

    "Well," she replied as calmly as possible, "if you must know, I have been attending shooting classes at the academy back home."

    "Shooting classes? Wha-"

    "Excuse me," said a witch, interrupting prince Yashiro as she tried to walk past them.

    The passageway was now getting crowded, so Yashiro grabbed Astoria''s hand and gently pulled her into a dark alley. Her back was against the wall, and he was standing in front of her, his gaze fixed on her face. He examined her. She pressed her lower and upper lips together, feeling tense.

    "You never liked weapons before. I remember the first time you came here. You almost fainted at the sight of a stave. So how is it possible that you can now hold a weapon such as a shotgun?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow.

    "But that was a plastic shotgu-"

    "That still counts. Princess Nexi, you used to faint at the sight of a plastic or fake weapon," Prince Yashiro stated, cutting her off.

    ''Wow,'' she thought, ''That is actually intense. Poor princess.''

    He had placed his hands on the wall, on either side of her. There was no way she could escape him. He tilted his head, waiting for her to respond to him. She was now staring at the ground. He always thought that she had been behaving strangely ever since she came here. The way she spoke, walked, and acted was utterly different from how she was before.

    "Is that so? Fine," he heard her speak with a sigh.

    She crossed her arms and looked up at him. "I wanted to become stronger."

    He furrowed his brow. "Become stronger?"

    She nodded. "As you know, I am quite weak, and so I get bullied at the academy. I cannot use the Silver Ocean yet. My siblings hate me. My father does not care about me, although he pretends to. I get treated like I do not exist, and I am sick and tired of it!"

    He froze and stared at her wide-eyed at her outburst.

    "The whole fainting when seeing a stave," she continued, "Of course, I would faint. My mother was stabbed with a stave. She died because of it! Any person would faint if they remembered such a thing and saw a stave."

    "Okay, I understand all that," he said, sighing, "However, you have been acting strange. The way you talk, walk, act... It''s all so strange and foreign."

    "Well, of course, it would be strange or foreign. I''m trying to be a stronger woman. To be more confident in myself," she breathed out, "I am tired of being trampled by other people and creatures."

    And she was not lying. Nexi was tired of being treated like she did not exist. The princess was tired of being treated like a dirty rag both at home and the academy. She had wanted to become stronger but was unsure of where to even begin.

    "So, I''m changing the woman I was before."

    Astoria herself was also tired of being trampled. She was treated like shit at work and even lost her position in the Major Crimes Unit because of Cosmo X. Both Nexi and Astoria were fed up, so they wanted to change. To become stronger and more confident. To sharpen their existing skills and gain new ones.

    "I see," Prince Yashiro said after a long while, understanding her reasons.

    He dropped his hands from her sides and wrapped them around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She let out a gasp at the sudden intimate action and raised her eyebrows. He was so pleased and proud that he would be marrying such a determined woman.

    "W-what are y-you doing?" she stammered, placing her arms on his chest, ready to gently push him away.

    "Don''t push me away," she heard him softly utter, "I am just proud of you for overcoming such a trauma. For wanting to become stronger."

    She stared wide-eyed at the fox prince, who suddenly placed his head on her shoulder. Her heart was racing, and her breathing quickened. This kind of intimacy from him really caught her off guard as she was not used to it. She had never dated a man nor slept with one. This was all too much for her to handle.

    "Also, seeing you holding a shotgun like that," he said, "and shooting those bottles so precisely was mesmerizing. I had no idea you were such a badass. It made me fall more in love with you."

    ''Oh good lord,'' she thought, internally facepalming, ''That was not my intention.''

    He pulled his head back and stared down at her. He was a good five centimeters taller than her.

    "You are really amazing," he complimented her, his one hand touching her face.

    He affectionately rubbed her cheek and watched as her face began to turn red. Her mouth was slightly parted, and she was in a daze. He traced his thumb along her lips, and she blinked multiple times in shock. She felt overwhelmed and covered her face with her hands.

    ''This is all too much for a virgin like me to handle,'' she thought, internally screaming.

    He heard her let out a husky laugh and felt his hand grabbing hers.

    "Why are you hiding your face?" he asked her playfully.

    She just shook her head. ''You know why.''

    He moved her hands away from her face. The long black-haired fox prince leaned forward and kissed her forehead, sending electricity coursing through her body. She shivered as he moved to her neck, lightly kissing it. His arms held her waist in a loose embrace.

    She was going crazy. In truth, she had kissed a guy once when she was in middle school when they played a game of Truth Or Dare. That kiss was not as hot as this one, though. He pulled his head away from her neck to look at her. Her cheeks were flushed red, and her body was radiating heat.

    He winked playfully at her and leaned forward, gently kissing her mouth. She responded to him a few seconds later, although she was initially timid. They kissed for a good minute, and he pulled away. His pupils were dilated with desire. She was in a daze and now unaware of her surroundings. He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her again.

    This time, the kiss was not gentle as he kissed her hungrily. Her arms snaked their way around his neck, and he pulled her closer to him. His kiss was deep and hot, and she responded to him with raw hunger. The way he kissed her felt like her lips were the oxygen he needed and, without it, he would be unable to breathe.

    Finally, prince Yashiro pulled away, resting his forehead against her shoulder with a sigh. He told himself that he had to stop or else he would lose his self-control and do something that was not right to do before marriage. Her shoulders moved up and down as her breathing quickened. She let out a sigh and tried to bring her breathing back to be normal.

    ''What the actual f*ck?'' she thought, her chest rising and falling, ''I thought my whole body was going to explode. That my legs were going to give out at any moment.''

    They stayed in that position for a few minutes. Luckily, they were not disturbed by anyone or anything as the alley was dark. The sound of creatures walking past could be heard. For a moment, it felt like it was just the two of them in this world. Like they were the only people alive. She listened to the fox prince''s soft breathing, his forehead still resting on her shoulder.

    ''The way he kissed me....It was way too hot,'' she thought, biting her lips.

 Chapter 55 - Finding Little Miss Lara Marbita

    ''The way he kissed me...It was way too hot,'' she thought, biting her lips.

    She slowly moved her fingers over her mouth, tracing her lips. The taste of his kiss still lingered on her lips. He pulled his head away from her neck, and she froze, staring at his face. He ran his finger along her lips and smiled in satisfaction. His hands entwined hers.

    "Um.." Astoria was too stunned to think of anything to say.

    After experiencing such a hot and breathtaking kiss for the first time, what does one say? She stared at their entwined hands and then into his gray eyes.

    "Shall we get back to the festival, my princess?" he asked her.

    "Uh, y-yeah," she stammered, "L-let''s do that."

    He nodded and entwined his hand with her free one. Her other hand was tightly holding the necklace she had won. They stepped out of the dark alley, blending into the crowd as if they did not just have a hot make-out session a minute ago.

    She tilted her head up to look at the prince. He was elated and clearly in a good mood because he hummed a happy tune as they walked. She quickly glanced away when he turned to return her gaze. He held back a laugh upon seeing her avoid eye contact with him.

    ''She is so cute,'' he thought with an enigmatic smile.

    "What do you want to do now?" she heard him ask her.

    She then remembered the little fox she had met the other day, little miss Lara Marbita. She had promised to find her and buy her flowers. The question was, how was she going to find this little fox?

    "There is this little girl that I met the other day with Ai," she told him, "and I promised to buy her flowers, so I want to find her."

    Prince Yashiro nodded. "Do you know where she is right now?"

    Astoria shook her head ''no'' and wondered how she would find this child among all these creatures and tourists. After a minute of thinking, an idea crossed her mind.

    ''Surely, this could work, right?'' she thought, letting go of the fox prince''s hand.

    Prince Yashiro stared at her in confusion, wondering why she let go of his hand. To say he was not disappointed at her sudden withdrawal would be an understatement. He watched as she walked to an empty spot and signaled him to follow her. He obediently followed her, curious as to what she was planning. When they stood still, he watched as she furrowed her brows.

    "Vexati," she uttered.

    Prince Yashiro''s eyes widened as he saw a leather book, glowing in a silver colour, with a magic seal appear in the princess'' hands. She turned to face him and smiled.

    "My father recently gave me this book," she began to explain, "He told me that it is a book containing magic spells. That if I find myself in trouble, I should summon it."

    "What? Then why did you not use it to fight Saxhish or at least defend yourself and get out of her boundary?"

    ''I knew he was going to bring that up,'' she thought, ''That is easier said than done.''

    She sighed and stared at the book in her hands. "He gave me this book before coming here. I have only had it for a day or so, and I''m not used to it yet."

    Prince Yashiro crossed his arms and nodded in understanding.

    "Besides," he heard her continue, "even if I knew how to effectively use it, I am not very good at close combat with such creatures. My combat training is still in progress."

    She lied about her combat training being in progress. Although she was a great fighter in her world, this world was different. This world had creatures and people with magical powers. She had never fought against magic, so even if she knew how to use the spells in this book to fight Saxhish, the chance of her actually defeating the spider woman was slim.

    "Anyway," she said, flipping the pages of the magic book, "I am sure there is a location spell or something similar somewhere in this book. Maybe I can use that?"

    He watched as she found a magic locator spell after a minute.

    "Yes," she cheered, "What a relief."

    The spell stated that one had to picture the person they wanted to locate. The spell also only worked if the person was in close proximity, about 30 meters from her.

    "Reduno Findus," she carefully uttered the locator magic spell.

    The leather book floated in front of them, and a dim, red rush of spikes appeared. The spikes were only visible to Astoria, and they began to move. They spun around in a circular motion in front of her and started taking the form of an arrow.

    "Wow," she breathed out, fixing her gaze in the arrow that was forming.

    "What?" Prince Yashiro asked, tilting his head.

    She pointed at the red arrow that was forming in front of them. Prince Yashiro stared at what she was pointing at but saw nothing.

    "What are you pointing at?" he asked, narrowing his eyes in the direction of her pointed finger.

    "Huh? You cannot see the red arrow forming in front of us?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

    Prince Yashiro shook his head ''no.''

    "Oh. I guess only I can see it then," she muttered.

    The red arrow was now fully formed, and she wondered how it would work. Did she have to wait for it to point in the direction of Lara? Would she need to move for it to start working? She tilted her head downwards, staring at the page that contained this locator spell.

    "Imagine who you want to locate for the arrow to start moving," she read, "and follow it to their location."

    She nodded and closed her eyes. She pictured the little fox she had met.

    "Show me the way to Lara Marbita," she ordered, opening her eyes.

    With that, the red arrow began to move away from her. She smiled and turned to the fox prince.

    "It does not matter if you can see the arrow or not. Just follow me," she told him and began to walk away.

    Prince Yashiro followed her, and she followed the red arrow. They walked for a good six minutes, and while they were reaching their destination, she realized something.

    ''So, prince Yashiro and everyone else cannot see this red arrow? Only I can? That is fascinating.''

    The red arrow then stopped moving. It pointed to a clothing stall, and next to the stall was the little fox Astoria had wanted to see. She immediately smiled and rushed to her side.

    It was a sad sight for Astoria to see. Lara was trying her best to sell the roses she had brought from home, but no one was buying them. The creatures just walked past her, ignoring her as if she was a ghost and non-existent.

    "Lara!" Astoria exclaimed, waving her hand in the air.

    The fox''s ears perked up at the sound of someone calling her name. She looked up from the ground and found that it was the woman she had met the other day.

    ''What was her name again?'' Lara thought, tilting her head and pressing her lips together.

    Lara watched as the woman approached her. To her surprise, the woman was with prince Yashiro. She immediately blushed upon seeing him. To every little girl in Chesropis, they imagined they would be married to a handsome prince like him one day.

    ''Her name was...Her name was...'' the little fox bit her lip, and then her eyes widened.

    She finally remembered. ''Oh right! This woman introduced herself as princess Nexi the last time!''

    "Lara," the little fox heard the princess say, "I finally found you."

    The little fox stared up at the princess, who was looking so beautiful in her goldenrod-colored dress. She also looked at the prince, who looked even more handsome than the last time she saw him. She had seen prince Yashiro return from a mission two weeks ago. She bowed her tiny head at them.

    "Hello, princess Nexi and prince Yashiro," her tiny voice greeted them.

    Astoria''s heart jumped at the sight of Lara. She loved children and had always had a soft spot for them. She stared at the little fox''s attire. What was once a dress was now nothing more than pieces of fabric held barely together. It hung from her shoulders like a discarded old towel. A big chunk of material had been torn from the left side.

    There were holes and tears all over, leaving much of her body exposed to the elements. She was wearing a rugged jacket over her dress. It smelled a little and was full of stains. At least it helped her stay protected, even if it was only for a little. Her pants had seen better times as well.. Wear and tear had turned what were once small tears into medium-sized gaping holes.

 Chapter 56 - Caution: Danger

    There were holes and tears all over, leaving much of her body exposed to the elements. She was wearing a rugged jacket over her dress. It smelled a little and was full of stains. At least it helped her stay protected, even if it was only for a little. Her pants had seen better times as well. Wear and tear had turned what were once small tears into medium-sized gaping holes.

    However, at least she had shoes to protect her feet. Although they were worn out, a size too big, and the outer sole of the left shoe had long been lost, they were still usable. She wore a small scarf around her neck. It was wrapped around her face to just below her large bright brown eyes.

    The scarf was worn out but still holding together. Her head was covered by a red beanie, which may be old and worn out, but it was still relatively good and clean. Her white hair was unkept. Lara was a beige coloured fox, so her white hair stood out from her skin.

    ''I see that she is still covering her neck,'' Astoria thought, subtly glancing at Lara''s bruised neck.

    "How are you today? How is your grandmother?" she asked Lara, who tilted her head up and smiled at her.

    "I am okay. She is not well as usual," Lara expressed.

    The little fox''s body drooped in sadness at the thought of her sick grandmother. Her tiny hands held the basket tightly, her knuckles whitening in the process.

    "I see. Any luck with selling your flowers? I see you have pink roses today," Astoria spoke gently, stooping down to the little fox''s level, not caring about damaging or dirtying her elegant dress.

    Lara shook her head and stared at the ground. "I only sold one."

    Astoria put her hands on the little fox''s shoulders and gently patted them. "How about I buy all of them from you?"

    The beige coloured fox stared at the princess with wide eyes.

    "R-really?" she asked the princess, shock evident in her tiny voice.

    Astoria nodded and smiled. "Remember I promised you that I would buy your flowers at the festival? Well, here I am. A promise is a promise."

    Prince Yashiro did not say anything the whole time and just watched Astoria and Lara''s cute interaction. A smile made its way to his lips, and he crossed his arms.

    "How much are you selling each rose for?" Astoria asked, standing up.

    "Each rose is GZ20, princess Nexi," Lara softly replied.

    Astoria counted how many roses were in the tiny basket and found that there were nineteen roses left.

    "So," she said, taking the basket from Lara, "I am going to give you GZ380 for all these rose flowers."

    She stood next to the fox prince and gently nudged his side. She ushered him to pay Lara. Prince Yashiro understood and took out his wallet. He grabbed GZ500 and gave it to the little fox. Astoria stared at him wide-eyed.

    "I am sorry, prince Yashiro," he heard Lara say, "but I am afraid I do not have any change."

    He smiled at her and crouched down. He put his hand on her shoulder.

    "You do not have to give me any change. You keep all that money, all right?"

    Lara widened her eyes. "W-what? N-no, I cannot p-possibly..."

    "It''s okay, little fox," Astoria reassured her, "You keep it all."

    Lara stared at the GZ500 note that was in her tiny hands, and tears began to well up. Prince Yashiro was thrown off guard as tears started to run down the little fox''s cheek. Astoria immediately crouched down too. She hugged the little fox.

    "There, there," she cooed, comforting the little fox.

    "It''s j-just t-that," she heard the little fox say in between her crying, "my granny''s o-oral issue i-is getting w-worse a-and there i-is no o-one t-to help us."

    Astoria rubbed the little fox''s back while hugging her. Lara hugged back tightly, her tiny body shaking with each sob.

    "It''s okay," Astoria cooed, "I will help you, so take prince Yashiro and me to your grandmother."

    She felt Lara nod her head ''okay.'' They stayed in that position for a few minutes, Astoria gently rubbing Lara''s back and the little fox softly sobbing. Creatures that walked past them wondered what was happening and why a child was crying.

    When Lara had stopped crying, prince Yashiro took out a clean handkerchief from his jacket pocket and gave it to her. She accepted it with shaking hands and blew her nose. Her body was still trembling from her crying, but now she was a bit calm.

    Astoria told the fox prince to hold the basket of rose flowers. He nodded and took the basket in his hand. She stood up and stared at Lara, who was tightly holding her hands together and sniffing softly.

    "By the way, how old are you, Lara?" she asked the little fox.

    "I-I''m five years old," Lara replied.

    Lara was relatively tiny for a five-year-old. Anyone who would see her would probably think she was a three-year-old. Although she was five, Astoria noticed that she was pretty smart and mature for her age because of her grandmother''s health issue.

    ''This is sad to see,'' she thought, ''This little child has to become mature at such a young age. That does not make any sense.''

    Astoria crouched down and spread her hands out. Lara stared at her, confused.

    "Let''s go to your house," Astoria said, "I''ll carry you in my arms. You must be tired from standing all day."

    Lara''s eyes widened. "N-no, I''ll just dirty your beautiful clothes."

    The little fox looked at her own clothes and felt ashamed. There was no way she would let the princess carry her when her own clothes looked ugly and dirty. She would just dirty princess Nexi''s expensive clothes, which she did not want to do.

    "Don''t worry about my clothes, Lara," Astoria insisted, "Now, come here, little one."

    Lara hesitated for a moment but then slowly approached her and got into her embrace. Astoria smiled and carried Lara, standing up and staring at Yashiro. The little fox had placed her tiny head on her shoulder.

    "We should buy them something to eat," Astoria suggested to the fox prince and stared down at Lara, who was in her arms.

    "Yeah, let''s go find something," Prince Yashiro agreed.

    They later found a stall that was selling rice and meat. The stall''s owner was also making stir fry, so the prince bought those. The owner gave the prince his order and bowed at him. He also bought some soft food for Lara''s grandmother at another food stall. Prince Yashiro and Astoria followed Lara''s directions, finally reaching her house. They both scanned the place.

    From the outside, the house looked lovely and traditional. It had been built with tan stones and had poplar wooden decorations. Small, squared windows let in plenty of light and had been added to the house in a primarily symmetric way.

    Lara''s house was equipped with an old-fashioned kitchen and two bathrooms. It also had a snug living room, three bedrooms, a cozy dining room, and a roomy storage room. The building was shaped like a short U. The two extensions were linked by a stylish garden.

    The second floor was bigger than the first, creating several overhanging parts on one side of the house. This floor followed the same style as the floor below. The roof was low and triangular and was covered with seagrass. Two small chimneys sat on either side of the house.

    Many smaller windows let plenty of light to the rooms below the roof. The house itself was surrounded by a gorgeous small garden, including various trees, bushes, flowers, and a small pond. The garden was a fresh field of grass enclosed by a variety of hedges and bushes.

    A single ornamental piece of a kitsune God stood in the center. It was slightly weathered and discolored, which only added to its beauty. Some flower beds were pretty much overgrown, taken over by the other, bigger plants.

    The hedges and bushes reached 1.5m/5ft high but did not usually grow this tall. A stone path twisted around the small garden, directing visitors around naturally. Plants and vines competed for the best and the most land in the small garden, each keen to claim it all.

    It seemed like the ornamental piece was what started the creation of this entire garden in the first place. The flower beds made sure they were paid attention to as well. The hedges and bushes were nothing to sneeze at, but everything looked small compared to the ornamental piece.

    "Do you live alone with your Grandma in this big house?" she asked Lara.

    "No," Lara shook her head, "My uncle lives with us. This house belongs to him."

    "So your uncle owns such a house but makes you sell flowers? That does not make sense because anyone can clearly tell that the man is wealthy," Prince Yashiro stated, eyeing the house and garden.

 Chapter 57 - The Return Of Miss Justice Troublemaker Part 1

    "So your uncle owns such a house but makes you sell flowers? That does not make sense because anyone can clearly tell that the man is wealthy," Prince Yashiro stated, eyeing the house and garden.

    Lara just stared at the ground, not saying a single word in response to what the fox prince said.

    ''Prince Yashiro is right,'' Astoria thought, ''How can he make a five-year-old child sell flowers by herself to raise money for her grandmother''s oral surgery? Especially when he owns such a house and garden? Something fishy is going on here, and I''m going to get to the bottom of it.''

    Her police senses were tingling and on high alert. She crouched down so that Lara could stand on her own. The little fox stood next to Astoria and ushered for them to follow her into the house, her hands clasped together.

    "Granny, uncle!" Lara exclaimed, "I''m home!"

    "Did you make any money? I hope you made more than the last time because if not..." a male fox stated, coming out from the kitchen, but then paused upon seeing prince Yashiro and a strange woman in his house.

    "P-prince Yashiro, your highness," the fox gasped, his black eyes widened in shock and disbelief, "W-what are you d-doing here? T-to what do I owe the pleasure of having y-you in my h-house?"

    Astoria crossed her arms and quickly examined Lara''s uncle.

    ''There is dirt under his nails, a scratch on his face, he reeks of alcohol and...'' Astoria stared at his gaze, which was menacing and aimed at Lara.

    ''And he is clearly in a foul mood. I sense danger here.''

    This male fox was better dressed and looked well-fed compared to Lara''s clothing and physical appearance. She stared at Lara, who was tightly clenching her dress, her tiny knuckles whitening in the process.

    ''Lara is clearly scared,'' she thought, ''I am starting to see what is happening here.''

    She tsked loudly in irritation and anger upon understanding the situation.

    "We came to see Lara''s grandmother," prince Yashiro stated, glancing sideways at Astoria, who held a sour expression on her face.

    He stared at her, confused as to why she was suddenly in a foul mood.

    "M-my granny i-is t-this way," Lara softly spoke and walked in the direction of her grandmother.

    Prince Yashiro followed her, and Astoria did the same after internally glaring at the uncle. They walked to the second floor and entered Lara''s grandmother''s room. They found the grandmother lying in bed, asleep.

    "Sorry," Lara said, standing across them, "It appears she is sleeping."

    Lara folded her arms and bent her head.

    ''It seems her uncle did not follow us, so now is the chance to ask her,'' Astoria thought as she walked towards Lara.

    Lara watched as Astoria crouched down to her level.

    "May I ask you something?" Astoria gently asked the little fox.

    Lara slowly shook her head ''yes.''

    "That bruise on your neck," Astoria said, pointing at the scarf which was covering her neck.

    Lara instinctively pulled the scarf tighter, afraid that the princess would see it again. Astoria put her hand down, not pointing at Lara''s neck anymore.

    "How did you get such a bruise?"

    Lara''s eyes widened, and she backed away from Astoria, her head facing towards the floor.

    "Oh, I um...fell," the little fox lied.

    "You fell?" Astoria repeated.

    She knew Lara was hiding the truth. Honestly, due to working as a policewoman for three years and handling major violent cases, she had come across numerous child abuse and domestic violence cases. This, here, was evidently one of them.

    "I see," she said, standing up.

    She did not want to make Lara feel uncomfortable about answering her questions, especially when she knew the real reason for her bruise. The little fox probably had other bruises all over her body but was hidden by her clothing. Astoria walked towards the fox prince, who raised an eyebrow at her unusual behavior. She turned to him, her back facing Lara and her grandmother.

    "Is it possible for you to help this child and her grandmother?" she quietly asked him, not wanting Lara to hear her just yet.

    "With her grandmother''s oral surgery?" he asked her, tilting his head and pressing his lips together.

    She nodded and internally prayed that he would say yes. It was not like he was obliged to help solve Lara''s circumstances, but she did hope that he would understand what was going on. After a minute of thinking, prince Yashiro nodded.

    "Well," he began, looking into her honest and sincere cobalt eyes, "If it makes you happy, then yes. I will-"

    "No," she cut him off and looked up at him, "Do not do it to make me happy. Do it as a prince of Chesropis. Do it as someone who is protecting his people."

    He stared at her for a while, her eyes holding a glint of seriousness.

    "All right," he agreed, giving her a dashing smile.

    She sighed and smiled.

    "Stay here with her," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder, "I need to have a word with her uncle."

    He froze and stared at her wide-eyed, his eyebrows raised. "Her uncle? Why?"

    She clenched her fists and whispered in his ears, "That son of a b*tch has been abusing Lara. He has also been negligent as her guardian."

    She began to walk away, but he held her hand and pulled her towards him.

    "What the hell are you talking about? How can you be so sure that it is him?" he asked her, crinkling his nose.

    "I am pretty sure," she said, "that you believe me about the negligence part. As for the abuse..."

    She managed to escape his grasp and pressed her lips together.

    "Let''s just say, I have a gut feeling, and my gut is always right," she winked and walked away before he could say anything, leaving him wide-eyed with his mouth open.

    Lara walked towards him, "Where is princess Nexi going?"

    He shook his head and turned to face the five-year-old. He leaned down to her level and smiled.

    "She will be right back. In the meantime, how about you and I eat something, okay?" he asked her, pointing at the food he had bought for her and her grandmother.

    Her stomach immediately grumbled upon hearing the word ''eat,'' and she blushed, avoiding eye contact with the fox prince. She buried her face in her hands, feeling slightly embarrassed and ashamed about her stomach grumbling. She slowly nodded while covering her face and the fox prince smiled.

    ''I hope princess Nexi knows what she is doing. I will give her five minutes. If she does not come back within that in time, I will go to her,'' he thought, pressing his lips together.

    ''After all, if what she said is the truth, then this girl''s uncle is dangerous and could hurt her. If I do see that he hurt her or is attempting to hurt her, I will rip his body apart, limb from limb.''

    Lara watched as the prince''s face distorted into a serious and sour expression. She wondered what he was thinking about that caused such an expression. She also wondered where princess Nexi had rushed to. If it was to speak to her uncle about her bruises, did it mean she would be in trouble once the prince and princess left? Was her uncle going to beat her up again tonight?

    Astoria had walked downstairs to find the uncle leaving the house. She ran to the door and saw him walking towards the small garden. He had a watering can in his hand, wore white gardening gloves, and wore thick shoes he could get dirty in. She walked close behind him, and he stopped at a rose bush.

    Different color roses were growing in the same bush. Roses that were pink, red, yellow, and white were all scattered on the rose bush. The uncle gently poured water on the roses, his face beaming at how beautiful and perfect they were growing. He hummed a tune as he continued to water them.

    "Someone is in a good mood," Astoria said, standing behind him with crossed arms.

    The uncle shrieked in shock, almost dropping the watering can. He placed his hand on his heart and breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Goodness gracious woman," he said, "Why did you sneak up on me like that? You scared me. I nearly had a heart attack."

    Outward, she smiled, but internally she rolled her eyes.

    ''You should have had that heart attack, bastard,'' she thought.

    He placed the watering can down and took off his white gloves. She still had her arms crossed and just watched him as he smiled lustfully at her. He was a brown-colored kitsune, about 100 years old. His ears and tails moved as he examined her, almost salivating at how ravishing she looked.. Heavy amber eyes, set deep within their sockets widened as he watched her approach him.

 Chapter 58 - The Return Of Miss Justice Troublemaker Part 2

    He placed the watering can down and took off his white gloves. She still had her arms crossed and just watched him as he smiled lustfully at her. He was a brown-colored kitsune, about 100 years old. His ears and tails moved as he examined her, almost salivating at how ravishing she looked. Heavy amber eyes, set deep within their sockets, widened as he watched her approach him.

    There was a birthmark stretching from the top of his left cheek. It first runs towards his fairly big lips and ends under his left eye. She also noticed tiny claw marks on his hands and raised an eyebrow at that. Upon seeing that she was staring at his scratched hands, he hid them in his pockets.

    "So, what brings you outside?" he asked her, "I thought you were with prince Yashiro and my niece."

    ''Okay,'' she thought, ''Time to bring out my hidden charms and get this guy to talk. So, even if you hate doing this Astoria Chambers, let''s try to be as flirtatious as possible. Let''s get the truth out of him.''

    She cleared her throat and touched his strong arms with her slender ones. She bit her lip and breathed out in what almost sounded like a moan.

    "Well actually," she spoke in an almost hoarse manner, her voice sounding low and attractive to his ears, "When Lara told me that she had an uncle, I thought to myself, ''Wow, if she is this cute, then her uncle must be a cute man too.'' However, it seems that you are also hot and cute, which is a bonus. So, here I am."

    She twirled and trailed a finger along his arm in a flirtatious manner, batting her eyelashes at him. He let out a quick, soft moan, getting turned on as she looked up at him through her lashes. He gulped nervously.

    "I-is t-that so?" he asked her, clearing his throat.

    She nodded and pulled her hands away. He smiled at her, his pupils now dilated with desire.

    "I will do anything you ask me to do to your body," she softly spoke, walking around him and whispering in his ear, "but you have to answer my questions first, okay?"

    He aggressively nodded at her request, not wanting to let such a chance to touch a woman as beautiful as her pass him by. She narrowed her eyes when she stood behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders, gently massaging them.

    "Tell me something," she whispered in his ear, causing them to instantly turn red.

    She was so disgusted by him and did her best to hold back her anger. She was glad that she had learned such tactics through movies and at the police academy. She had multiple encounters in her line of work where she worked undercover and had to ''seduce'' criminals into giving her information and then arresting them. Right now, she would hold back her anger until she got all her questions answered by this good-for-nothing kitsune.

    "I saw bruises on Lara," she continued, and the uncle immediately stiffened, "Why are you so tense? Relax, handsome man."

    She almost threw up, disgusted that she had to do this and speak in this manner to this foul fox. However, she was willing to do whatever it took to get him to talk and later arrest him. Well, the prince would arrest him and not her. She would just help in his arrest.

    "She..." the uncle began, "That useless girl cannot do anything. After her parents died in a fire, I took her and her grandmother in. You see, I am not really her biological uncle. I was her father''s friend."

    "I see," Astoria whispered in his ear, causing his body to shiver in desire, "Go on."

    He nodded. "When she lost her parents, I felt bad for her because she lived with her grandmother in poor conditions, and so I decided to put her and her grandmother under my care."

    "Wow," she said, faking that she was in awe, "Not only are you handsome, but you are also very kind and generous. I love that in a man."

    He chuckled at her compliment, nodded, and added, "I am also big down there."

    She fake laughed at his statement, rolled her eyes, and continued to gently massage his shoulders.

    ''Just hurry the f*ck up and tell me what I want to hear,'' she bit her lip.

    "We lived in harmony here for the first two months, but then her grandmother suddenly became sick and needed oral surgery," he said, his tone sounding malicious all of a sudden.

    "I was willing to help her grandmother until I heard how much it would cost," he sighed and tsked, "There was no way I was going to pay a million GZ''s for that. Besides that surgery, the medicine she is currently taking already costs me good fortune."

    "Uh-huh," Astoria responded to let him know that she was still listening.

    "So I suggested that she sell flowers to make up some of the money," he said, "Then one day, she broke one of my jewel-encrusted vases because she wanted to preserve the roses she could not manage to sell that day. That vase was expensive! A whole two million GZ''s had gone down the drain!"

    "Wait," she said, pulling her hands away from his shoulders and standing in front of him, "You spent a whole two million on a vase, and you cannot even pay one million towards her grandmother''s oral surgery, is that not too cruel of you?"

    He gave her a one-shoulder shrug, showing that he did not care about what happened to Lara''s grandmother.

    "Okay, forget about that part," she said, "The bruises. Tell me about the bruises I saw on her neck and body."

    "Oh those," he said nonchalantly, "The child has a habit of being clumsy when she is cleaning and always breaks my expensive things, so I punish her-"

    "By beating her up?" she cut him off, her eyes narrowed.

    He shook his head ''yes'' as if beating a five-year-old was nothing. As if it was not child abuse or cruel.

    ''This bastard,'' she thought, clenching her fists.

    "Does her grandmother know? Does she know that you beat up her granddau-"

    He interrupted her by chuckling at her question, his body shaking with laughter.

    "That old hag?" he blurted, wiping the tears from his face, "Even if she knew, there is nothing she can do since she is bedridden. Besides, it is not as if I hit her all the time. I am just preparing her for the harsh world out there. I feed and clothe her so, as her only functioning guardian, I can do whatever I want with her."

    She was overwhelmed by his words, placing her palms to her forehead. Her face was flushed with anger, and she crinkled her nose in disgust.

    ''Well,'' she thought, letting out an exasperated sigh, ''I guess the evil creatures here are no different from the criminals back in my world.''

    She stared up at him, removing her palms from her forehead. She breathed out so that she could calm down and not ruin her plan to have him arrested.

    ''Now that I heard his confession,'' she thought, walking towards him in a flirtatious manner, ''I will not hold back. I am about to cuff this guy.''

    She stood in front of him and smiled beautifully. His tail perked up as she looked like a Goddess at this moment. She snaked her arms around his neck, which caught him by surprise. His hands stayed on his sides, not knowing whether he should wrap them around her waist or not.

    "You know," he heard her speak, her voice soft and sultry, "it is wrong to beat up small children. Do you know that you will land up in jail for such an act?"

    "Jail?" he asked her, his eyebrow raised at the mention of a foreign word he had never heard of.

    ''Ah, I see,'' she realized, ''So jails do not exist in this world, but dungeons are used instead?''

    She smiled up at him and nodded. "I meant to say dungeon. You will land up in a dungeon for such a heinous act."

    He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist, and she flinched in surprise. "I won''t if you do not tell anyone about what I just told you, not even prince Yashiro."

    She laughed in response. "How about I cuff you, and we can take this conversation to your bedroom?"

    She flirtatiously licked her lips, and he instantly nodded. She smiled, internally tilting her head back and yelling in triumph.

    "Vexati," she uttered, and the leather magic book appeared once again.

    "What is that book?" he asked her, his voice holding a hint of alarm.

    "Do not worry," she reassured him, "I am looking for a spell that will cuff you since I don''t have any cuffs with me. Once I cuff you, we can go to your bedroom, and you can tell me to do anything you want.. I''ll be your servant."

 Chapter 59 - The Return Of Miss Justice Troublemaker Part 3

    "Do not worry," she reassured him, "I am looking for a spell that will cuff you since I don''t have any cuffs with me. Once I cuff you, we can go to your bedroom, and you can tell me to do anything you want. I''ll be your servant."

    She winked at him, and his lips parted slightly. His breath and pulse were quickening as he imagined what he would make her do to him. He began to sweat, constantly swallowing as he waited for her to cuff him.

    ''Surely there is a restraining spell here,'' she wondered, paging through the magic spell book, ''If I cuff his hands, then it will be easier for me to deal with him or take him down.''

    Her eyes widened in delight when she found a locking spell. This was a spell that could chain or lock any object or creature. As long as the said creature was not too strong. She did not know how strong this fox was, but she was not going to let him walk away and live scot-free after what he had been doing to Lara and her grandmother.

    "I found a locking spell," she told the fox, winking at him, "Now, just hold out your hands like this."

    She demonstrated how she wanted him to hold out his hands. She had decided that it was also best to tie his legs in case he tried to make a run for it, which she had a feeling he would do. At that moment, the fox prince was sitting in the lounge, having a meal with Lara.

    He had taken off his jacket and placed it around her so that she would feel warm as the weather was beginning to get cold and her clothes were not exactly cold-friendly. He watched as she ate the food hungrily as if she had been starved for many days. Glancing sideways at his watch, he realized that he had given the princess eight minutes instead of five, and she was still not back yet.

    He pushed his chair out and stood up. Lara stared at him in surprise, raising her eyebrows. Her tiny hands held the chicken pieces that prince Yashiro had deboned for her. Her face beamed as she ate the chicken, feeling a variety of herbs and spices tantalizing her taste buds. He pushed his chair back in and stared at Lara.

    "Little fox," he told her, causing her to look up from her meal, "I am going to find princess Nexi since she has not come back yet. I will be right back, so you stay here, okay?"

    She nodded obediently, and he smiled. He then walked outside as he knew that Nexi and Lara''s uncle were probably not inside the house since he could not hear the sound of their voices. To his shock and horror, he had arrived at the moment when Astoria had wrapped her arms around Lara''s uncle''s neck.

    "What the hell is she doing in that position with another man?" he snarled, baring his teeth.

    He watched as she backed away and summoned that magic book again. Astoria and the uncle could not see the prince as he kept a safe distance from them, not wanting to be seen or heard just yet. He knew that Astoria had a plan, so he told himself to wait first before he jumped in to save her or tear her away from that man.

    "Ah!" she exclaimed, staring excitedly at the uncle, "This spell is perfect. Okay, here goes nothing."

    Lara''s uncle nodded, his mind and soul excited about what was to come. It has been a while since he had fun with a beautiful woman. Usually, he would go to brothels to find a woman who would satisfy his desires. He was a divorced man. He had three previous wives, but none satisfied him the way he wanted to be satisfied.

    The spell she was about to cast was a spell invented by Circe. It causes whatever object or living thing that is targeted to be locked by some kind of locking mechanisms such as ropes or chains. She was hoping to use ropes to tie his hands and legs.

    "Immolio Padlockent," she uttered, and an intricate, silver ray of sparks emerged from her hand.

    Lara''s uncle stared at the silver sparks, which began to snake their way around his hands. Ropes began to form, and they circled his hands, tying them together. His eyes widened at the strength the ropes held. He tried to break free, but it was impossible as the ropes were the strongest he had ever seen.

    "Don''t worry," she told him in a sultry, reassuring voice aimed at washing away any alarm he had about being tied up, "Don''t resist it by trying to break free. It won''t be fun if you do."

    She winked at him and then faced her palm to his legs. The silver sparks circled his legs, and ropes formed, tying his legs tightly. This caused him to lose his balance, and he fell. She sighed in relief and crouched down, narrowing her cobalt eyes at him. He looked up at her, his eyes showing hints of confusion and a bit of alarm.

    "Is this part of the plan? I think you made the ropes a bit too tight," he told her.

    She gave him a one-shoulder shrug and half-smiled.

    "Nah," she said, "I think the ropes are just right."

    Lara''s uncle began to wiggle and squirm like a speared eel upon realizing that she had other plans for him. Plans that he was not going to enjoy.

    "What the hell are you doing, you annoempra?" he snarled, his sharp teeth bared.

    She tilted her head to the side and tapped her fingers on the ground.

    "Ah, yes," she said, staring into his eyes, "I believe prince Yashiro told me that word is equivalent to b*tch or wh*re."

    She tsked and pointed her finger at his tied hands. He had managed to get into a seated position. His clothes were dirty because of the impact of his body hitting the ground.

    "You have been a bad guardian and an abuser," she stated, the ropes tightening around his hands, "What you have been doing is a crime, sir."

    "Shut up!" the uncle shrieked, "Shut the hell up, you annoempra! What the hell do you know? This has nothing to do with you! You''re a psychopath! Seducing me like a sl*t! You..."

    She listened to him ramble on, occasionally rolling her eyes at him. He insulted her and called her filthy names. He brought up how he was doing Lara and her grandmother a favor by taking them under his care, so he had every right to do whatever he wanted with them.

    "What a twisted mind you have," she told him and stood up, "Whatever. You did the crime, so you pay. Hopefully, you will come out a better man after a few years. "

    Prince Yashiro walked towards her and stood next to her. She was relieved that the house was in an almost secluded area and had a gate so no one could see what was going on inside. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she let out a long sigh of relief.

    "Mission accomplished. He confessed to everything I was suspicious of," she told him.

    The uncle''s eyes widened in horror. His breathing became shallow and rapid. He was fruitlessly trying to break free from the ropes so that he could run away, but the ropes were just too strong. He scowled and growled, his body now shaking with fear.

    "M-my prince," Lara''s uncle stammered, "H-have m-mercy on m-me. Please..."

    He kept repeating those words, his body rocking back and forth as he now sat kneeling down. He did not want to go to the dungeon. He was always careful with his wicked ways by threatening to kill Lara''s grandmother if she told anyone he abused her. He would even buy her hand-me-down clothes, which covered all the places he hit her.

    So why? Why was it that someone found out about his evil deeds? Did Lara really sacrifice her grandmother by telling someone that he abused her? The thought of being locked up with hardened criminals made him scared for his life. He knew they would crush him. They would tear him apart, limb from limb. They would torture him with no feelings of remorse.

    "My pri-"

    "Shut it!" Astoria snarled, cutting him off in irritation and anger.

    The uncle''s face contorted, and he fell silent, afraid that the princess would tighten the ropes around his hands and legs. That would be horrible as he was already starting to feel his hands and legs become numb.

    "I''m done with him," she told the fox prince, "You deal with him."

    She bent down to the uncle''s level.

    "I have excellent hearing," she lied to him, "so if I leave here and hear you tell the prince that you''re innocent or some sh*t like that, I''ll tighten the ropes until your bones break. Got it?"

    He swallowed hard and nodded vigorously. Lara''s uncle and prince Yashiro watched as Astoria left, walking back into the house.. They were both left stunned and speechless that she was capable of doing such a thing for a princess.

 Chapter 60 - Saving Her Part 1

    "I have excellent hearing," she lied to him, "so if I leave here and hear you tell the prince that you''re innocent or some sh*t like that, I''ll tighten the ropes until your bones break. Got it?"

    He swallowed hard and nodded vigorously. Lara''s uncle and prince Yashiro watched as Astoria left them, walking back into the house. They were both left stunned and speechless that she was capable of doing such a thing for a princess or even speaking the way she did.

    She found Lara in the kitchen, trying to remove the little bit of flesh that was on the chicken bone in her hand. She stood by the wall and leaned on it, her arms crossed and a motherly smile on her face. The little fox had not noticed that she was standing there, watching her. That was until she looked up and saw the princess'' sweet smile. Lara placed the bone down and blushed profusely.

    ''Princess Nexi must think I''m some kind of wild beast because of the way I licked and sucked that bone,'' Lara thought, internally facepalming.

    Astoria sat down on the chair across from Lara and placed her chin on her hand. She saw that the little fox was done eating and looked much livelier than before. She let out a sigh of relief that she could save Lara and her grandmother. That she was able to protect them. She was able to subdue Lara''s uncle, and he would be arrested and serve time in the dungeon for his crimes.

    "Little fox," Astoria gently called her, causing Lara''s ears to perk up, "Since you are done eating, how about you go wash your hands, and you and I have a little chat?"

    Lara stared at the princess, noticing that parts of her hand were brown because of the dirt from the garden. She stared at Astoria''s cobalt eyes and nodded. Lara took her plate, walked to the trash can next to the kitchen sink, and threw what was left of her meal. Her tiny hands gently placed the plate in the sink, making sure she did not break it because if she did, she would be in for a beating.

    Since Lara was tiny, she would struggle to wash her hands in the sink or even wash the dishes, so her uncle had bought her a small chair she could step on. This helped increase her height a little and enabled her to do her daily chores of washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen sink area easily.

    Lara washed her hands and dried them on her clothes. She sat back down, placing her tiny hands on her lap. She stared at the table instead of at Astoria. She could feel the beautiful woman staring at her and examining her.

    "About your uncle..." Astoria began, placing her hands on the table.

    She noticed that these three simple words made Lara flinch, causing the little fox to tightly clasp her hands together under the table.

    "I know everything, little fox," Astoria gently cooed, "You do not have to be afraid anymore."

    Lara''s eyes darted from the table to Astoria''s. Her eyes widened with shock, and her eyebrows were raised. The little fox trembled, afraid of what was to come tonight. If Astoria knew everything, that means that her uncle would find out and then beat her up or, worse, hurt her grandmother because he would think that she was the one that told the princess the truth.

    "Lara," Astoria said, "It is all over. Your uncle won''t hurt you or your grandmother anymore. The prince and I will make sure of it, so you don''t have to fear him anymore."

    "R-really?" Lara asked, tears welling up in her tiny eyes.

    Astoria gently smiled and nodded. "He will be taken to the dungeon to pay for his crimes."

    Upon hearing that, the tears which were welling up in Lara''s eyes, which she was trying to hold back, immediately poured out. They ran down her cheeks as she loudly began to cry. Her tears did not stop. It was as if all the emotions she had bottled up since her parent''s death were opened. As if someone had hit her tear ducts with a sledgehammer and caused all her tears to be released from her body.

    Astoria immediately stood up and walked to Lara''s side. She crouched down and embraced the little fox who placed her arms on Lara''s chest. The little fox buried her face in the princess'' chest and cried her eyes out. She shook with every sob that escaped her tiny body. Astoria gently pats her back in a comforting manner.

    "There, there," she cooed, comforting Lara, who was now hiccuping as she cried, "Cry all you want. Let it all out. I''m here, and I promise to help you and your grandmother."

    Astoria crouched in the kitchen with Lara in her arms. She continued to pat the fox''s back as Lara continued to cry.

    ''Glad it''s finally over,'' Astoria thought as she began to rub Lara''s back.

    When Lara was silent, Astoria stared down at her to find that she had cried herself to sleep. She smiled at the scene and walked to the grandmother''s room. Earlier,  she noticed another bed in the room and concluded that Lara and her grandmother shared the same room.

    She walked up the stairs to the second floor. Quietly opening the door to not wake Lara''s grandmother up, she stepped inside and walked to the empty bed. She gently placed Lara on the bed and covered her with the blanket. She removed the hat and scarf Lara had worn and put it aside. Bright white unkempt hair splayed out around the little fox as her head rested on a purple pillow.

    Astoria found a chair in the corner of the room, took it, and placed it next to Lara''s bed. She sat on it and watched Lara sleep, her chest rising and falling with each breath she took and exhaled. She held Lara''s hand and smiled, glad that the little fox''s anxiety and fears were now washed away.

    She heard the door open, and there stood prince Yashiro. He signaled for her to follow him, and she nodded. She let go of Lara''s hand, brushing some loose strands of the little fox''s hair away from her tiny face. She stood up and followed the fox prince.

    They sat in the kitchen across from each other. Prince Yashiro leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. She quietly sat there and watched him examine her with narrow eyes. He kept furrowing his brow and pressing his lips together as if not knowing where to begin with what he wanted to say.

    "I have called my men to come and take Lara''s uncle to the dungeon," he began, "They will be here soon. For now, I have locked him in one of the rooms."

    "That is great news," she stated, nodding her head.

    "And about Lara and her grandmother," he continued, "Her grandmother will be taken to the hospital and will remain there until her oral surgery is complete and she has completely healed. As for Lara, she will be staying with us until we find her a good home."

    "R-really?" she asked, her eyes widened from shock as the fox prince shook his head ''yes'' at her.

    He watched as she leaned back and looked up, staring at the white ceiling above them. She was happy that Lara''s grandmother would be taken to the hospital, but if they found a home for Lara to stay, would the little fox live separately from her grandmother? Was that not too cruel and wrong?

    Surely, Lara was not going to love this idea of separation. As if knowing what she was thinking, prince Yashiro tapped his finger on the desk to get her attention. She leaned forward and looked up at him. He knew that she was not keen on separating Lara from the only family member she had left.

    "Once Lara''s grandmother is completely healed," he explained, "Lara will stay with her. I will find them a new home in which they can live together."

    "Oh. That is a relief, but what about this house? What do you plan on doing with it?" she asked him.

    "It will be no more," he simply stated, crossing his arms.

    ''I see,'' she thought.

    Prince Yashiro cleared his throat and sighed.

    "I do have one question for you, though," he told her.

    "For me? What question?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.

    She noticed that he suddenly narrowed his eyes at her and had a sour expression on his face. She looked at him, her head tilted. She was confused as to why he suddenly looked angry.

    "You," he began, running his hands through his hair which he did not style for the festival, but he still looked good, " I saw you hug Lara''s uncle. Why did you embrace that foul creature like that?"

 Chapter 61 - Saving Her Part 2

    "You," he began, running his hands through his hair which he did not style for the festival, but he still looked good, "I saw you hug Lara''s uncle. Why did you embrace that foul creature like that?"

    ''Oh,'' she thought, ''So that is why he is looking at me like a jealous boyfriend right now or like he just caught me cheating on him.''

    She placed her arms out with her palms facing forward, looking defensive. She did not want the prince to get the wrong idea about her intentions.

    "Don''t get me wrong," she clarified, "I was just acting. I was trying to seduce him so that he could tell me the truth. If I approached him differently, he would not have told me what I wanted to hear."

    Prince Yashiro twisted his mouth, half believing some of the words coming out of her mouth. To him, it did not look like she was acting intimate with Lara''s uncle so that he could tell her the truth. To him, it seemed like she genuinely wanted him at that moment, although that was not the case for Astoria. Right now, his mind and rationality were clouded with jealousy.

    "You do not believe me?" she asked him, crossing her arms and frowning.

    He said nothing and pressed his lips together, a slight frown on his face.

    "Well," she continued after seeing that he was not going to answer her, "As a matter of fact, when I entered this house with you and Lara, I had noticed that the fox was staring at me with lustful eyes. I figured I could use that to my advantage and get him to spill the truth. That is all there is to it, whether you believe me or not."

    There was silence in the room. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. A few minutes passed with them just sitting in silence, and Prince Yashiro let out an exasperated sigh.

    "I know you were just acting," he told her, clasping his hands over his head, "but still...I hated seeing you in the arms of another man. You belong to me, and I to you so..."

    She internally smiled.

    "Yes," he heard her say, causing him to lift his head up and stare at her, "I know that, so I am sorry if I made you doubt me or if I made you jealous."

    Astoria was not saying this to mend her relationship with him, but it was to save Nexi''s marriage. She cannot have him thinking Nexi is a cheater or skank. From the fictional and fantasy books she read, she knew about this scene unfolding in front of her. She knew how men can be jealous when it comes to their lovers. She, herself, did not like it when she had to wrap her arms around Lara''s uncle''s neck and seduce him.

    She almost threw up that time and was really holding herself back from punching the uncle''s face, kicking him in the chest, or even breaking his hands. However, she had known that she had to remain calm and collected. She had to make sure she did her job as a policewoman correctly, even if she was not a policewoman of this world.

    "J-jealous?" the fox prince stammered, "Who said I''m j-jealous?"

    She covered her mouth and let out a soft chuckle.

    "Of course you are," she told him, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hand, "You cannot even say the word ''jealous'' with stammering."

    "I am not," he said firmly, his voice increasing in pitch at the word ''not.''

    This caused Astoria to laugh a bit louder and clap her hands.

    "Since your pride is on the line," she told him, leaning back and giving him a playful wink, "I will just agree with you that you are not jealous. Although, you have nothing to be jealous of. I am your fianc��, remember? So my heart and soul only belong to you."

    She shook her head, tilted it down, and placed her hand on her heart.

    ''Geez Astoria,'' she told herself, ''That was so cheesy. What do you mean your heart and soul belong to him? Well, I meant Nexi''s.''

    She heard a soft, deep chuckle and looked up to find the fox prince''s face was beaming because of what she told him. He was over the moon right now because of her precious words and reaffirmation. Yes, her heart and soul did belong to him, so any man who would touch her or harm her would be torn into pieces.

    There was a knock on the door. The royal guards and Doctor Xion had arrived. There was also a carriage for Lara''s sick grandmother. The fox prince informed them of where Lara''s uncle was and where they would find her grandmother.

    Astoria walked with the royal guards into Lara''s room, who was now fully awake upon hearing the commotion downstairs. She walked to the little fox''s side and held her hand.

    "These are the royal guards, and they came to help your grandmother," she told the little fox, "Your grandmother will be staying in the hospital until she has finished her oral surgery and has fully healed."

    "W-what about me?" Lara asked Astoria.

    "You will stay at the palace until then," she replied, smiling with her eyes and mouth, "Once your grandmother is healed, prince Yashiro will provide a house for you two to live in. You can forget about the bad memories that occurred in this house because of your uncle. You can be happy again, little fox."

    Lara nodded eagerly, happy that her grandmother would finally get the medical assistance she needed. Glad that she was going to live with her grandmother in peace. That she would live a happy life free from abuse and mistreatment.

    She watched as Doctor Xion examined her sick grandmother. He wrote a few notes down in his book, ushered the guards to place her on the stretcher, and put her inside the carriage. This carriage was used for medical purposes only, so it was much wider and more spacious than a standard carriage.

    The royal guards took Lara''s grandmother, with Doctor Xion following close behind them. Astoria waited for Lara to pack a few of her clothes in a disheveled suitcase. Once the little fox was done, she followed Astoria to the living room. Lara saw that her uncle was tied up and taken away by the royal guards.

    She stepped back, her mouth wide open. She froze and stared with wide eyes and raised eyebrows as her uncle snarled and growled at the guards who were taking him to one of the horses. She blinked back tears as she realized that it really was finally over. She really was free and could live happily again.

    "It really is over," Lara heard Astoria tell her.

    Astoria held her hand out for the little fox to hold. Lara slowly stretched her hand out and entwined it with the princess''. They walked outside to find prince Yashiro discussing a few things with Doctor Xion. The carriage which Lara''s uncle was in had left. Doctor Xion nodded a few times at what the fox prince told him.

    Doctor Xion stepped inside the carriage containing Lara''s grandmother and left. The only people who were now present were Lara, prince Yashiro and herself. She and Lara watched as prince Yashiro approached them. The fox prince stared at his watch and saw that it was now 4pm. It was now getting dark as well.

    "We should also get going," he told them.

    There was another carriage that Astoria had not noticed until now. Prince Yashiro walked towards it, Lara and herself following him. The royal driver opened the door of the carriage for them. The fox prince crouched down and picked Lara up, completely catching her by surprise as she blinked multiple times. He placed her inside the carriage and gave her her suitcase.

    "Want me to carry you too?" he playfully asked Astoria, whose gaze was fixed on his.

    "W-what? No, I-I can get in myself," she stammered, stepping inside the carriage.

    She heard the fox prince chuckle behind her, and she blushed as she sat down next to Lara.

    ''Gosh,'' she thought, taking a seat next to Lara, ''I can be such a sucker for him sometimes, and he is not even my fiance. It shows that I am getting swayed easily because I have never experienced romance before.''

    She let out a long sigh and rubbed her eyes.

    "Are you okay, princess Nexi?" she heard a tiny voice ask her.

    She turned her head and faced Lara, who had a worried look on her face and thought that the princess was not feeling well because of the long sigh she let out. She placed her hands on top of Lara''s and nodded.

    "I am just fine," she told the little fox, "Especially since I managed to save you and your grandmother."

 Chapter 62 - Set Free

    "I am just fine," she told the little fox, "Especially since I managed to save you and your grandmother."

    Lara smiled and nodded. The fox prince sat across them and crossed his arms, watching their cute interaction as the carriage began to head to the palace. Throughout the whole ride, none of the women spoke to him. They were heavily engrossed in conversations he did not understand, so he said nothing the entire time and just continued to silently watch them.

    Once they arrived at the palace, they stepped out of the carriage and headed to their bedroom. Prince Yashiro had noticed that his family was not back yet, although it was now heading to 5pm. He was not surprised, though, as he was always the first one to come back from the festival. His family usually stayed out till 8pm whenever it was festival time.

    "How about you let her take a bath? She also needs a change of clothes," he told Astoria.

    She nodded and ushered Lara to step inside the bathroom.

    "I will be right back," she told the little fox in the bathroom, "So just wait for me in here. In the meantime, take off your clothes and get in the bathtub, okay?"

    The little fox nodded, and Astoria smiled. She opened the tap and ensured that the water was at the right temperature for Lara, not too hot or cold. She then stepped out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her. There was a knock on the door, and a maid came in with bathing supplies for Lara as well as a change of clothes. Astoria gladly took it, thanking the maid and closing the door.

    Prince Yashiro stepped out, so only Lara and Astoria were in the room. She walked back to the bathroom and found that Lara was in the bathtub, waiting for her patiently. She walked to Lara and grabbed a bottle that read ''Lavender Splash!''. She opened the bottle and poured some of the liquid into the bathtub. The water became purple and foamy, letting out a sweet lavender scent.

    She began to wash the little fox. Of course, she would have had a maid wash Lara, but right now, the little fox did not seem to trust anyone other than the fox prince and her. Letting a stranger bathe her and see her scars and bruises would not sit well with Lara, so the best option was for Astoria to bathe and dress her.

    Astoria washed Lara''s white hair, returning it to its soft and silky state. After twenty minutes of thoroughly bathing Lara, Astoria gently dried her with one of her clean, crisp towels. When Lara was dry, she noticed how healthy and vibrant her body looked again. She also noticed the little fox''s bruises were now as clear as mud on her clean body.

    She dressed Lara in casual clothes, which the maid had brought for her earlier. She did not want the little fox to wear anything fancy. She wanted to take her to see Doctor Xion for a full body examination before heading to the royal garden. Lara was dressed in a long-sleeved pink t-shirt and long black silk pants. She wore slippers for easy movement.

    Astoria ushered her to sit in front of the mirror so that she could dry her white, silky hair. She turned on the hairdryer and dried her hair. Their eyes met as they stared at each other''s reflections through the mirror, and they both smiled. After drying her hair, she began to brush it.

    "Your hair is so silky and soft," she told Lara, "I like it."

    Lara blushed and uttered a soft, "Thank you," in return.

    Once Astoria was done with everything, she smiled at the little fox, who now looked clean, healthy, and happier. She wondered where the fox prince had gone. Seeing as she had noticed that Lara seemed to love gardening, she thought taking her to see the royal garden would do her a lot of good. She has not visited the garden yet, so it would be nice to see it together. She crouched down to Lara''s level.

    "Little fox," she said, "I am going to go take a shower as well, so wait here for me. Do not leave this room. After I am done, we will go see Doctor Xion and then head to the palace garden and see the beautiful plants and flowers together."

    "But, will it not be too dark to see the plants and flowers?" Lara asked, creasing her brow.

    "Not at all," Astoria said, smiling with her eyes and mouth, "I believe the garden lights are turned on at night so we can still see them."

    Lara nodded, a glint of excitement in her eyes. When she had arrived in the palace with Astoria and prince Yashiro, she had seen the entrance to the royal garden and wondered how big the garden was and what kind of flowers and plants were there. After all, because of her uncle, she ended up learning about gardening and grew fond of plants and flowers.

    The little fox watched as Astoria grabbed her bathing supplies and walked into the bathroom. Once the door to the bathroom was shut, Lara turned her attention to the mirror in front of her. She stared at her reflection. Her once-dead light brown eyes now looked alive. Her once disheveled and unkempt hair was now smooth and silky. Her beige, dirty skin was now as clean and clear as mud. Finally, her once dead soul felt alive and vibrant.

    Lara wrapped her tiny arms around herself. Her petite body drooped, and her lips began to quiver. She bowed her head and pressed her lips together, trying her best to hold back the tears that were in her eyes and the sobs that wanted to escape her lips. She could not believe that she and her grandmother were finally set free. She could not believe that someone stood up for them.

    Meanwhile, Astoria was staring at the goldenrod-colored dress in her hands in the bathroom. She bit her lip and slumped her shoulders. The once elegant and beautiful dress was now dirty and torn. Her shoes were no different, but at least there was a way to restore them. The dress, however, was completely done for.

    "Oh damn," she mumbled, letting out an exasperated sigh, "The queen might bite my head off for this. Oh, I am so f*cking screwed."

    She placed the dress down and stepped into the shower. Once the hot water touched her body, her knees almost gave out. The hot water felt like it was rejuvenating her body, washing away all the dirt she had accumulated. Washing away the scent of Lara''s foul uncle.

    She let out a satisfied sigh and closed her eyes, enjoying the water droplets which felt like little fairies dancing on her body. Once she was done showering, she changed into casual clothes,  grey sweat pants, and a long black sleeved t-shirt and slippers. She tied her hair in a high pony and walked out of the bathroom.  She placed her bathing supplies inside her suitcase and walked to the door.

    "Lara," she said, her hand around the doorknob, "Let''s go see to the infirmary. You need a full body examination. I am not sure if Doctor Xion is still at the hospital with your grandmother or if he came back, so let''s go. If he is not there, then we can ask a nurse to examine you."

    Lara nodded, and Astoria stepped out of the bedroom, the little fox following close behind her. Astoria stretched out her hand, and Lara placed her tiny hand in hers. They walked to the royal infirmary, hand in hand. One of the royal nurses greeted them as she walked past them.

    Her eyebrow was raised as she noticed the foreign little, beige fox and wondered who she was. Astoria and Lara stepped inside the infirmary and greeted one of the nurses who was looking for medical supplies in a big cabinet. The nurse stopped what she was doing upon seeing the princess and bowed to her.

    "Excuse me," Astoria began, "Is Doctor Xion here?"

    The nurse shook her head ''no.''

    "We were told that he was accompanying a sick grandmother to the hospital. He is currently still there," the nurse replied, "He should be back in about two hours."

    "I see," Astoria pressed her lips together, "In that case, I need someone to run a full body examination on this child."

    The nurse gave the little fox a quick glance and nodded.

    "Let me just get these medical supplies to one of the nurses, and I will be right back to assist you," the nurse bowed, grabbed the medical supplies from the cabinet, and walked away.

    Astoria smiled and crouched in front of Lara to meet her gaze. The little fox stared at her, her hands clasped together.

    "You do not have to be afraid, okay?" she told Lara, who smiled and nodded, "I will be right next to you when the nurse examines you."

 Chapter 63 - Mystical, Enchanted Garden

    "You do not have to be afraid, okay?" she told Lara, who smiled and nodded, "I will be right next to you when the nurse examines you."

    She stood up and crossed her arms, waiting for the nurse to return. The nurse came back a few minutes later with a notebook and pen in her hand.

    "Sorry about that," the nurse said, smiling at the little beige fox who could not meet her gaze, "Let''s go get you examined, little fox."

    Lara nodded and followed the nurse, Astoria following close behind. The policewoman noticed that some of the royal guards who had been wounded by Saxhish were almost completely healed. Some of the beds, which were previously fully occupied, were now empty as some guards recovered.

    "Please enter this room," the nurse pointed to a white room.

    They entered the room, and the nurse closed the door. Astoria was astonished at how big the inside was, and it had many workstations in it. There were also other nurses going about their duties. They bowed to her as they walked past. They entered another room, and the nurse made Lara change her clothes and lie down on a silver-like table.

    The little fox watched as a laser began to travel over her tiny body, from head to toe and vice versa. The nurse and Astoria were in a separate room checking the information which was coming up on the computer screens in front of them. Astoria watched as the nurse leaned forward, staring at the screen. She took down notes in her notepad.

    The nurse furrowed her brows as her fingers quickly and lightly tapped the computer''s keyboard. After a while, she leaned back and wrote in her notepad for the last time. She then stood up and told Astoria that she was done. The nurse walked towards Lara and gave her her clothes back.

    Lara changed back into her clothes and followed the nurse into a separate room. This was one of the many consulting rooms within the infirmary. The nurse sat down and ushered Astoria and Lara to sit. They sat on the chairs across her. The nurse placed her notepad on the desk and pushed her glasses back.

    "The good news is that the little fox''s body is not badly injured. The bad news is that she has a fractured rib," the nurse stated, causing Lara''s eyes to widen in shock, "However, it is not badly fractured, so I will give her healing medication, which she should take three times a day."

    Astoria stretched her hand over Lara''s and entwined her hand with the little fox''s to assure her that she would be okay. Lara held the princess'' hands tightly, feeling her heart race at the news the nurse had just relayed.

    "It really is nothing serious, little fox," the nurse emphasized, giving her a calm, reassuring smile, "You just need to take this medication for about a month, and you will be all better."

    Lara nodded, her lips pressed together.

    "As for the bruises and scars on her body," the nurse continued, opening one of the drawers behind her, "She must apply this special ointment. It helps with removing scars or bruises. It will also prevent any permanent skin damage."

    The nurse handed Astoria the ointment, which was in a blue bottle.

    "Claritonin," Astoria softly read the name on the blue bottle.

    "I will also give her some painkillers as the medicine for healing her ribs may sometimes cause some level of light or heavy pain," the nurse told her.

    The nurse then stood up and smiled at them both.

    "Other than that," the nurse concluded, "The little fox is okay and will heal soon. Let''s go back to the infirmary so that I can give you all her mediation."

    They followed the nurse out of the room and back to the infirmary. They stopped by the cabinet full of some medical supplies. The nurse grabbed a small box of painkillers and two sets of bottles labeled ''Acimine .''She placed the medication in a plastic bag and handed it to Astoria.

    "The painkillers are for when she experiences pain," the nurse began explaining, pointing at the medication in Astoria''s hand, "The Acimine bottles are for her fractured rib. Make sure that she has something to eat before she takes her medication."

    Astoria nodded. "Noted. Thank you so much for your help."

    The nurse bowed and left. Astoria turned to Lara and told her they could go to the garden now. The royal garden was a luscious garden of moss-covered grass, surrounded by tall hedges, flower bushes, and shrubs. It was lit up by magical lanterns. There was also will-o''-the-wisp, blue, green, and yellow in colour, floating about in the garden like levitating lanterns. This gave the garden an enchanting and mystical element. Astoria and Lara halted a few steps away from the gate, unable to take another step. They were too stunned to move and stared at the lights in awe, their mouths agape.

    "It is so beautiful and enchanting," Lara breathed, unable to take her eyes from the will-o''-the-wisp floating about.

    Astoria nodded, and they both examined the scenery in front of them. A gold fountain stood near the left edge of the garden. Nature had already claimed it for itself as there were vines that had snaked their way around the fountain. The rows of flowers were growing with boundaries. There was not even a single weed in sight. The hedges, flower bushes, and shrubs reached 1.2m/4ft high.

    Archways overgrown with exotic flowers were scattered throughout the garden, leading people through the garden and making sure all the best spots were marked. The grass had yet to try, creep, and crawl its way around the garden. It was probably held at bay by some magical intervention. Built a generation ago, there was an ornamental piece of a woman constructed in the middle of the garden to commemorate the kitsune goddess, Miyata Ririko.

    She was a goddess whose life was lost two hundred years ago after saving the lives of many humans in a freak fire that occurred in the mountains of Chesropis. It was designed by an international artist, a descendant of one of the humans who was saved in the freak fire. This artist superbly captured the cultural history of the event, which was widely known throughout the Chesropis kingdom.

    The artist had used a modest style to convey his vision in this beautiful ornament. Every element was crafted and created with durable materials from local suppliers. This ensured that the ornamental piece would remain an inspirational source for generations to come, mainly since the same ornamental piece could also be found at the center of the shopping district of Yuudai.

    The ornamental piece was the main centerpiece of the garden and was mainly designed to be this. The rows of flowers and plants were indeed a sight to behold. The hedges, flower bushes, and shrubs did their best to take some of the attention from the goddess, but the spotlight would always be on the ornamental piece. All of the plants and flowers had wooden tags with descriptions stuck to the ground. This contained information about the plant and flowers.

    "The Caryopteris Heldreichii is an extremely rare, huge plant and can be found in most highlands," Astoria read the description of one plant which had caught both their eyes the moment they arrived in this beautiful, massive garden.

    It was a pretty colossal plant the size of a rock. One would not walk past it without noticing its vast size. It was a plant that blooms twice a year for one month. It has tiny, egg-shaped leaves, which are usually lime green. It also grows relatively tiny flowers, which can be light orange, light silver, and light grey.

    Astoria read that this plant grows within short distances from each other. Still, it was slightly hard to control and maintain its growth. The plant can be eaten to relieve a sore throat. As a defense mechanism, the Caryopteris Heldreichii grows small thorns. It relies on self-pollination to reproduce.

    Once pollinated, it produces small, green edible fruits. Lara pointed at a rose bush, and Astoria nodded, knowing that the little fox was fond of roses and wanted to see the rose bush across from them. They walked towards the rose bush and admired the different coloured roses.

    They followed the stone path, strolling in the garden and viewing the other plants and flowers. There were various flowers such as roses, tulips, carnations, chrysanthemums, and lavenders. The mixture of different coloured plants and perennials added life to the massive garden.

    They found an area with five benches, and they sat on one of them. They sat across each other and looked up at the blue evening sky. Astoria placed the plastic bag with medication on top of the table, and they gazed up at the beautiful, starry night with the stars that twinkled like lamps along the edges of a clear river.. It felt good to relax and sit in comfortable silence.

 Chapter 64 - A Good Fit

    They found an area with five benches, and they sat on one of them. They sat across each other and looked up at the blue evening sky. Astoria placed the plastic bag with medication on top of the table, and they gazed up at the beautiful, starry night with the stars that twinkled like lamps along the edges of a clear river. It felt good to relax and sit in comfortable silence.

    "Um..." Lara softly spoke minutes later, causing Astoria to turn her attention to her, "T-thank you f-for everything. I d-do not know h-how I can ever repay y-you."

    Astoria leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, and waved her free hand.

    "Don''t worry about it, Lara," she told the little fox, "I am just glad that you and your grandmother are safe and that your uncle will pay for what he has done."

    "Sorry about ruining your dress," Lara added, bowing her head.

    "It''s okay," Astoria smiled, tilting her head to the side.

    "Will the rest of the royal family be okay with me living with them until my grandmother is okay?" Lara asked, rubbing the nape of her neck.

    Astoria raised an eyebrow.

    ''Good question,'' she thought, staring at the plastic bag of medicine.

    "I mean," Lara continued, "I am just a poor commoner and have nothing to offer them in return, so-"

    "They will," Astoria replied firmly, although she was actually unsure, "If not, you will come home with me."

    Lara stared at her wide-eyed. Astoria was unsure if the Kuba royal family would allow Lara to live with them. However, she knew that prince Yashiro had no problem with it. She also doubted that Nexi''s father would allow her to bring home a foreigner, let alone a kitsune. He would probably be furious. Let''s not even get started with the way Nexi''s siblings would react.

    Either way, she was going to fight for Lara no matter what. As a policewoman and an acting princess, there was no way she was going to ignore the life and safety of Lara. She will do whatever is in her power to convince the Kuba family to keep Lara Marbita with them until everything is sorted.

    "So this is where you guys were," they heard a male voice say.

    It was prince Yashiro. He had had a shower and changed into comfortable clothes as well, sweat pants and a short-sleeved t-shirt. I guess sweatpants and t-shirts are the nightwear trend right now. He was in his kitsune form, and she found out that he was a silver-coloured fox. She stared at him as he approached them, her mouth wide open.

    ''So this is what he looks like in his true form,'' she thought, ''He looks so...so...dominant.''

    He sat down next to her and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

    "Why are you staring at me like it is your first time seeing me in my kitsune form?" he asked her, his hands in his pockets.

    ''That is because it IS my first time seeing you in your true form,'' she thought, glancing away.

    She looked away.

    "Where were you?" she asked him.

    "I was instructing a maid to buy Lara clothes and whatever other things the maid saw fit to buy for her since she cannot wear those clothes," he replied.

    "That''s great," Astoria replied, clapping her hands, happy that Lara would have her own necessities to use as well as proper clothes to wear.

    Meanwhile, Adam''s business was booming, and all his jewelry was sold out, including the ones he told himself he would not sell as they were just there for display.

    "Wow," Prince Yoshito exclaimed, clapping his hands in amusement, "I am not surprised that everything is sold out."

    Adam smiled. "Well, of course, everything would be sold out. After all, it was made by yours truly."

    He pointed to himself with a confident smile on his face. Prince Yoshito playfully rolled his eyes and nudged Adam''s side.

    "Yes, yes," the fox prince said, beginning to help him clean up his stall and pack things away, "You are really, really great."

    Adam softly chuckled and folded the table and tablecloth. When everything was packed neatly in the corner, he stood next to the fox prince. He stretched out his hand, his palms facing the folded table and boxes.

    "Mobilashio Arachio," Adam uttered, causing an interwoven, orange stream to snake its way around his palms.

    The orange stream then drifted to his belongings, and they shrunk into tiny-sized versions. He walked to his shrunken belongings and carefully placed them in his bag.

    "So that is how you managed to bring such enormous boxes here," Prince Yoshito stated, pressing his lips together, "I was wondering whether you had instead paid to have them delivered."

    Adam shook his head. "That is a waste of money when I have a spell that can shrink them."

    "But that spell drains a whole lot of magical energy since it is not an ordinary shrinking spell," the fox prince added.

    Adam nodded. "Lucky for me, I have an incredible amount of magical energy, so it is A-OK."

    The fox prince smiled at that statement. It really was true. Adam had been blessed with a large amount of magical energy, which surpassed some of the greatest kitsune warriors that ever lived. The reason for this large amount of magical energy was unknown, though, as he was born with it. His father took him to many witches and wizards to consult this phenomenon, but they had no answers. It was really a mystery.

    "Wanna grab dinner with me?" Adam asked, his gaze fixed on the fox prince.

    Prince Yoshito clasped his hands behind his body and tilted his head to the side.

    "Well," he began, "If you are paying-"

    "I knew you would say that," Adam interrupted, his hands on his hips, "I am paying, but do I get something in return?"

    Adam raised his eyebrows, a mischievous smirk on his handsome face. Prince Yoshito playfully rolled his eyes again and leaned forward.

    "Shriulao Relortis," the fox prince uttered.

    Vibrant, violet twisting waves emerged from his palms, creating a barrier around them. When others saw them vanish, they thought the fox prince and the businessman had teleported to another place. Well, that was not the case. The guys were still there, but the barrier made it seem like they had disappeared, so everyone walking by only saw what was behind Adam and the fox prince.

    "Well, aren''t you brave," Adam smirked, "What if someone mistakenly walks towards us and hits the barrier?"

    Prince Yoshito wrapped his arms around Adam and shook his head.

    "Then we better make this quick," the fox prince simply replied with a playful wink.

    Adam leaned forward, his hand caressing prince Yoshito''s face. He then kissed the fox prince softly and slowly. Prince Yoshito smirked as he returned the kiss.  After a whole five-minute make-out session, they pulled apart, fixing themselves.

    "I really did miss these lips," Adam stated, brushing his finger along the fox prince''s lips.

    Prince Yoshito smiled and later undid the spell. The barrier disappeared, and some citizens walking by almost screamed as they saw the two appear from what they believed was ''out of nowhere.''

    "Let''s go see my sister," prince Yoshito said, "I am sure she wishes to see you."

    "And hopes I have a gift for her," Adam added, a chuckle escaping his lips.

    Prince Yoshito nodded and smiled. They made their way to Ai, who was sitting on her chair with a sour expression. The fox prince and Adam exchanged glances. When Ai saw them, she stood up.

    "Uncle Adam," she breathed out, a hint of excitement in her voice.

    "What''s with the sour expression?" Adam asked, "You are ruining your beautiful face."

    Ai smiled and walked towards him, giving him a long hug. She smiled at him and walked back to her chair, taking a seat.

    "When did you come back from your business trip?" she asked him, her arms crossed.

    "Not too long ago," he replied, taking an empty chair and ushering prince Yoshito to sit on it.

    The fox prince sat down and watched as Adam playfully winked at him. Ai smiled, her heart beating fast at the romantic, cheesy scene unfolding in front of her. She had a goofy smile on her face. Her brother looked away from Adam and stared at her, an eyebrow raised.

    ''They really are a good fit,'' she thought.

    "What?" her brother asked her, tilting his head.

    It was now late in the evening, and the city was filled with coloured lights. Some stalls had already closed down, while new ones had been set up. After all, the festival of paint ends at midnight, and well, the night was still young. Moreover, there were still many citizens, tourists, businessmen and women, and noble families walking about.

    "Oh nothing," she sang, "Anyway, I am like this because princess Nexi was supposed to be back by now with bigger brother. However, I do not think she is coming back.. Bigger brother stole her from me, so I was by myself the rest of the day."

 Chapter 65 - An Unexpected Family

    "Oh nothing," she sang, "Anyway, I am like this because princess Nexi was supposed to be back by now with bigger brother. However, I do not think she is coming back. Bigger brother stole her from me, so I was by myself the rest of the day."

    She stood up and began pacing back and forth, her hands clasped behind her body.

    "Do you know how bored I got throughout the day?" she blabbed, throwing her hands in the air, "I suddenly got a large number of tourists asking for my paintings, and it became so hard to count the money and paint at the same time. I almost collapsed!"

    "But you always did this by yourself before," Yoshito said, leaning forward and staring at his little sister, "So why are you complaining now?"

    "Ooh. Is someone jealous?" Adam playfully asked, causing prince Yoshito to nod and laugh.

    "W-what? N-no!" Ai gushed, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

    She stopped pacing and stood still. "I am just lonely and well...this time felt different with Nexi. It was more fun. Besides, uncle Adam, you have my big brother. Bigger brother has Nexi and I...well I have no one so..."

    Adam smiled and rummaged through his bag, taking out a small silver box with a red bow. He placed it in her hands, and she stared at it, her gaze fixed on it.

    "You got me something, uncle Adam?" she asked, her face beaming and mood lifted.

    Adam nodded, and she opened the box to find a simple pair of Sapphire earrings.

    "They may look like ordinary Sapphire earrings," Adam began to explain, "but I infused them with a protective spell. These are your very own special earrings. One of its kind."

    "Wow," Ai exclaimed, smiling widely, "Thank you, uncle Adam. I really love them. My big brother is so lucky to have you."

    "He really is," Adam said, placing his hand on the fox prince''s shoulder, "Anyway, we are going out for dinner, so we will not be staying long."

    "Can I come wi-"

    Prince Yoshito loudly cleared his throat, causing Ai to get the message.

    ''Fine,'' Ai thought, crossing her arms, a pout on her face, ''I will not disturb your alone time.''

    She watched as her brother stood up and waved at her, a fake smile on his face.

    ''He gets crazy scary when it comes to Adam,'' she thought, pressing her lips together, ''He is not even smiling at me. That smile is telling me to back off.''

    "Well," Adam said, causing her to turn her attention to him and away from her brother, "I will see you around, Ai."

    With that, Adam waved goodbye, and she watched as he left with her big brother. She let out a deep sigh and rubbed her neck.

    "I hope that I will also find someone like uncle Adam," she mumbled, letting out another sigh.

    She stood up and packed her things, feeling exhausted. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her body.

    "I should head back home now," she grabbed the money she had made, placing it in her bag.

    She left the stall there as is. The movers would bring it back to the palace. She teleported to the palace gate. This teleportation spell took a huge toll on her as it drained the last amount of magical energy she had left as she had used most of it when she was painting during the festival.

    "Maybe I should have waited for the royal carriage to bring me back home," she yawned, "Nah, I am way too tired to wait for them to find me and drive back to the palace."

    Upon seeing her, the royal guards bowed and opened the gate for her. She smiled and walked towards the palace. She noticed that the royal garden''s gate was opened.

    "Is someone in there?" she asked herself, walking into the royal garden.

    She later found her brother, Astoria, and Lara sitting and staring at the night sky.

    "Lara?" she asked wide-eyed as she approached them, "What is going on here?"

    They stared at Ai, and Lara said nothing. The little fox clasped her hands together and pressed her lips together. Astoria stood up and sat beside Lara, rubbing her back, a gesture to assure her that everything would be okay. That she did not have to be afraid.

    "Ai," Astoria said, turning her attention to the fox princess, "Did you just get back?"

    Ai nodded as she sat down next to her brother. She stared at Lara with a look of confusion and bewilderment. She turned to her brother and raised an eyebrow.

    "It is a long story," he said.

    Ai placed her bag on the table, noticing that there was a plastic bag full of medicine.

    "Well," she said, leaning back, "Explain. I have all the time in the world."

    Prince Yashiro stared at his sister and began to explain the situation.

    "What? That is so horrible! So this means that that day Nexi was right about something being wrong with Lara," Ai said, examining the little fox whose lips were pressed together tightly.

    Ai let out a long sigh and stood up, walking towards Lara''s side. The little fox was surprised to see the fox princess crouch beside her and hold out her hands for her to take. Lara hesitantly placed her hands on top of Ai''s, earning a satisfied smile from the fox princess. Ai closed her hands around Lara''s and sighed.

    "Do not worry," Lara heard the fox princess say, her eyes showing a sudden glint of determination, "I will make sure that my parents and everyone else agree to let you stay with us. We will be your family even after your grandmother gets better."

    Tears welled up in Lara''s eyes, and she bit her bottom lip, trying to hold back sobs from escaping her lips. Lara slumped her shoulders, her face staring at the ground.

    "Oooh," Ai cooed, pulling the little fox into a hug, "You poor thing. You suffered a lot, but it is okay now. Well done for holding out till my brother and princess Nexi found you."

    Ai rubbed circles on the little fox''s back, and Lara could not hold back her tears anymore, nor could she hold back the sobs that wanted to escape her lips. She began to tremble, and later the tears ran down her cheeks. Soft sobs escaped her lips, and she hugged the fox princess back.

    Her tiny hands tightly gripped the back of Ai''s dress as she let out the remaining sad tears and emotions she had left buried in her soul, like a forbidden treasure that was not meant to be found. Ai smiled with her eyes and mouth and continued rubbing circles behind Lara''s back while repeating, "There, there. It''s okay."

    Astoria and the fox prince exchanged glances, and he smiled at her, giving her a thumbs up for noticing that Lara was being mistreated and following up with her plan to investigate and save her. Astoria smiled back, feeling a sense of bliss while missing her world and her career.

    After a few minutes, Ai pulled away from Lara, wiping her tear-stained cheeks. Ai gently caressed her soft cheeks and then her palms, sending the little fox a warm, fuzzy feeling of love and assurance. Ai then pat her head and went to sit next to her brother. He stared at her and gave her a smile.

    "Oh," she heard him say, "Where is Yashiro?"

    "Uh..." Ai began, looking suspicious.

    Her hands gripped her dress, and she lightly coughed. The thing was that nobody knew about her brother and uncle Adam''s romantic relationship. Sure, the royal family knew that prince Yoshito and Adam were close and good friends, but they did not know that there was more than friendship. They had no idea the two were in love and together in that sense.

    "We saw uncle Adam, and he asked if we wanted dinner," she began, rubbing the nape of her neck in nervousness, "but I told him that I already had something to eat. However, big brother said he could go for dinner, so yeah. They are having dinner as we speak."

    Prince Yashiro stared at her with narrowed, gray eyes, wondering why she was so nervous about giving that answer. I mean, what was so wrong about Yoshito having dinner with Adam?

    "Uh-huh," the fox prince replied, still eyeing her with a skeptical expression.

    Ai let out a nervous laugh and looked away. Her brother soon planned to tell the whole family that he was gay and in love with Adam. That he wanted to spend his entire life with the business kitsune.

    That he even had no interest in being a prince if it meant him marrying a woman just for the sake of him being a royal member of the family and to produce an heir.. He just wanted to spend the rest of his years with Adam because the man was his other half and his soulmate.

 Chapter 66 - Adrift Among A Dream Part 1

    That he even had no interest in being a prince if it meant him marrying a woman just for the sake of him being a royal member of the family and to produce an heir. He just wanted to spend the rest of his years with Adam because the man was his other half and his soulmate.

    "Who is Adam?" Astoria asked, for some reason feeling curious about this man.

    "He is a kitsune businessman," the fox prince said, "One of the most influential businessmen in Chesropis."

    "He is very popular and handsome," Ai added, smiling, "And a big gentleman. He works with gemstones and creates jewelry for men and women."

    Astoria nodded. Somehow, the man reminded her of Stan. He was also very popular in the police force, especially for his looks. He was also as skilled as her. Her body suddenly slumped as she realized that she had missed her world and her friends. Her friends being Jigger and Stan.

    ''Ah, Jigger,'' she thought, pressing her lips together, ''I do not know if I can call him a friend or even trust him anymore. What if he really did plan to kill me?''

    She let out a sigh and placed her palms to her forehead.

    ''I really need to go back and figure all this out,'' she bit her lip.

    "Everything okay?" she heard the fox prince ask her, causing her to move her palms away from her forehead and sit up straight.

    "Uh, yeah," she replied, nodding quickly, "I kind of just have a lot on my mind."

    "Well, I am here if you wanna talk about it," she heard him say.

    She smiled and nodded. Ai stood up.

    "Well," Ai grabbed her bag, "I am going to have something to eat and then head to bed."

    "Oh, okay," Astoria smiled.

    "Thanks to someone who stole Nexi away from me," Ai began, a frown on her face as she stared at her big brother, "I had to work extra hard all by myself and was left to die from boredom. Goodnight."

    Astoria softly laughed, and Ai''s brother watched as his little sister''s figure disappeared from them.

    "She must be angry that I did not bring you back to her," he told Astoria, a smile on his handsome face.

    "I figured," Astoria said, also standing up and grabbing the plastic bag on the table.

    "We should also get going," she said, stretching her hands, "I am tired and sleepy."

    Prince Yashiro nodded, and they left. Lara was put in a spare bedroom not far from them. Astoria had stayed with her until she had fallen asleep.

    "What a day," she mumbled as she stepped inside her bedroom to find the fox prince was fast asleep.

    She walked towards him and stared at him. He had taken off his sweater, and she could see the bandage that had covered his chest. At least he was healing, but compared to the royal guards who were with him in the mission to eliminate Saxhish, he suffered the most and gained more wounds and bruises than them.

    ''I hope you get better soon,'' she thought, smiling down at the fox prince.

    She walked to her side of the bed and went under the covers, making sure that she covered herself properly as the night had grown cold. Her body felt as if it was melting when she had touched the bed. All the exhaustion she had begun to take effect. She rubbed her eyes, letting out a soft yawn in the process. She then closed her eyes and was off to dreamland.

    She had a lucid dream where she was half awake and half asleep. In her dream, she was in an unfamiliar room. The room was pitch black, so she could not see anything. A bright light suddenly entered the room, and she covered her eyes at the brightness. When her eyes adjusted to the bright light, she examined the room to find that it was empty with only a red carpet.

    She saw a door and walked towards it. Her hand rested on the doorknob and turned it, pushing the door open. When she stepped out, she found herself dressed in a red wedding dress. She raised her eyebrows, feeling shocked and confused at the dress she wore. There was a mirror across from her, and when she looked at her reflection, she backed away.

    "What the?" she uttered.

    Besides the wedding dress she was wearing, she had on red earrings and a ruby-encrusted necklace. Her hair was tied up, and she wore a red veil.

    "A-am I getting married? What the hell is with this attire?" she furrowed her brows.

    She then heard the sound of wedding bells, and a door to her right opened, revealing a white room. She pressed her lips together and stared at the room. She breathed out and walked into the white room. There, her eyes widened as she found prince Yashiro standing near a priest at the wedding altar, his hands clasped together.

    She felt a hand under her own. It was Nexi''s father, and he was walking her to her groom. She could not believe she was having a dream where she was getting married. Nexi''s father left her in front of the fox prince and walked away to sit next to Morvin and

    "Dearly beloved," she heard the priest say.

    She looked up at him, and her eyes widened. He had turned into a kobold, a reptilian humanoid creature.

    "We are gathered here tonight," the priest continued, "to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony."

    ''Damn,'' Astoria thought, staring at the bouquet of red roses that had magically appeared in her arms, ''This really is a wedding.''

    She stared at the fox prince, who was dressed in a white tuxedo. He smiled at her, his face beaming with happiness.

    "Do you, Kuba Yashiro, take Nexi Callan," the reptilian priest continued, "to be your lawfully wedded wife...?"

    ''Ah!'' she bit her bottom lip, ''What the hell is happening? This dream feels way too real!''

    "And do you, Nexi Callan..."

    Her eyes widened.

    ''What do I say? I mean, I am not Nexi, and what if Nexi does not want to marry him?''

    "Miss Callan?" the reptilian priest said, drawing her attention to him.

    "Oh, um," she licked her lips, "I...I...um..."

    Prince Yashiro stared at her with a raised eyebrow. The guests watched the scene unfolding and whispered among themselves.

    "Does she not want to marry him?"

    "Is she having cold feet?"

    "Who would not want to marry him?"

    "She would be a fool to say no. I mean, it would do her kingdom a whole lot of good."

    These were some of the things the guests were saying to each other, and since Astoria knew that she was dreaming, she could enhance her hearing, so she heard what they were saying.

    ''It is easy for you guys to say,'' she thought, fidgeting, ''You are not trapped in someone else''s body and faced with the biggest choice of your life, which could affect you and the person whose body you are trapped in.''

    A few seconds passed, and the door of the room abruptly opened. A strong wind gushed through, causing the wedding altar to fall over and the wedding decorations to do the same. Prince Yashiro immediately pulled her close to him and protected her, his hands wrapped around her waist. She had dropped the bouquet of roses in her hands.

    The guests were screaming as they gripped whatever they could find to hold on so that they could not be blown away by the strong wind. Astoria stared at the fox prince wide-eyed. She raised her eyebrow at him, and he shrugged, not knowing what was going on either.

    "My, my," a familiar voice uttered, "What do we have here?"

    A strange man walked in, and Astoria gasped, her hand covering her mouth in shock.

    "What the?" she breathed out.

    The voice belonged to none other than Jigger.

    ''What is he doing here?'' she stared at him in bewilderment.

    "So you are having a wedding and did not even invite me?" he asked, an evil smirk on his face.

    He was covered in a red coat.

    "Well," he said, walking towards her, "I am here now, but what the hell is this I hear? You think I killed you?"

    Jigger scoffed and then spread out his hands. Suddenly she was roughly pulled towards him and found herself in his embrace, his arm wrapped around her waist. His eyes were crazy. To her, he looked bloodthirsty and malicious, but what she mostly realized was that he was not Jigger.

    "You are not Jigger," she coldly stated, "so who the hell are you?"

    The man laughed loudly, and the room shook. Prince Yashiro pulled out his sword and ran towards them to save her. The man clicked his tongue in annoyance and caused a strong wind to blow him away. This caused the fox prince''s body to roughly hit the wall across them. He let out a groan and clutched his chest.

    "Prince Yashiro!" she exclaimed, staring at him with started eyes.

    She turned her attention to the strange imposter holding her. Her eyes were narrowed, and she growled.

    "Ooh," the man licked his lips, "I love this look on you."

 Chapter 67 - Adrift Among A Dream Part 2

    "You are not Jigger," she coldly stated, "So who the hell are you?"

    The man laughed loudly, causing the room to shake as if there was an earthquake. Prince Yashiro pulled out his sword and ran towards them to save Astoria. The man clicked his tongue in annoyance and raised his palm, facing it to him. This caused a strong wind to blow him away, leading to the fox prince''s body roughly striking the wall behind him. He let out a groan and clutched his chest.

    "Prince Yashiro!" she exclaimed, staring at him with startled eyes.

    She turned her attention to the strange imposter holding her. Her eyes narrowed, and she growled.

    "Ooh," the man licked his lips, "I love this look on you. It''s sexy."

    She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him with all her might. This caught him by surprise, and when she noticed his surprised expression, she took the chance to flee and run to the fox prince. The man snarled maliciously as he watched her crouch down beside the fox prince.

    "Prince Yashiro," she said softly, placing her hand on his shoulder, "Are you alright?"

    The fox prince nodded, and she helped him stand up. They stood side by side and stared at the strange man in front of the door.

    "You dare push me away!" the man shrieked.

    He suddenly began to transform, his body turning into a gas state. It was none other than the Dark Lord.

    "The Dark Lords? What is he doing here?" she asked no one in particular.

    She clenched her fists and glared at him.

    "I should have killed you at the river that day," the Dark Lord roared before plunging forward, going directly to them.

    She gasped, and the fox prince immediately stood in front of her, raising his sword to protect her. He activated his oriental fire element to its full capacity, and the sword caught alight, shining brightly in the room.

    Upon witnessing the fire, the Dark Lord scoffed. He activated his strong wind again, thinking it might affect the flaming sword and cause the flame to fade. The guests had all huddled in one corner of the room in silence, not wanting to be involved in the fight or lose their lives.

    "I will kill you both!" the Dark Lord blurted and extended two smokey tentacles in their direction.

    To his surprise, the fox prince''s flaming sword was not affected by the strong wind. Prince Yashiro even managed to slice the smokey tentacles, leaving the Dark Lord a bit stunned. A blare in the twilight, a crack of a whip, and suddenly they were being stared at by a moderate demon of lightening and skeleton. The Dark Lord clicked his tongue and, this time turned himself into some sort of demon.

    Two penetrating, fiery eyes stared at her and the fox prince with staggering energy. Another blare thunders from its cramped mouth with unimaginable force. A slim, skeletal ridge adorns the Dark Lord''s broad head, which itself was as coarse as sandpaper. The sound of a roaring fire escaped the Dark Lord''s slanted nostrils set within a tiny nose.

    The Dark Lord''s broad head sat atop a compact, robust, pitch-black, skeletal body. Flickering energies burst around its torso, perhaps a remnant of even stranger evil forces. They watched as he stepped closer to them, his two legs sturdily carrying his now diabolical, demonic body with disturbing energy. A shadowy tail squirmed behind him, and chains dangled alongside him.

    Two narrow, black wings extended themselves fully. Glowing bones and feathers of bone stretched upward over the Dark Lord. Looking malevolent, he moved towards them, ignoring the guests who gasped at his fearsome appearance. His gaze was fixed on Astoria and prince Yashiro.

    ''What the actual f*ck?'' Astoria thought, her heart racing like it was being driven by the world''s number one F1 champion racer.

    "I''m going to enjoy killing you, stupid kitsune," the Dark Lord stated, his voice sounding venomous, "Then I will kill your poor bride and take over her body. It is the perfect vessel."

    With that, the Dark Lord plunged headlong into a one-on-one battle with prince Yashiro. The room was filled with the sound of sword against skeleton. Astoria could not even match their movements because of how lightning-fast they moved from one spot to another.

    ''This is bad,'' she thought, ''This is really bad. How do I activate the Silver Ocean? Do I just say ''Silver Ocean Activate'' or what? It is the only power that can defeat the Dark Lord right now. At least, that is according to the Goddess Lumina.''

    The guests ran out of the room in pure horror, leaving the fox prince, Dark Lord, and her. The fox prince pushed his flaming sword forward on the Dark Lord''s pitch-black skeletal hand. He grits his teeth as he gripped the sword tightly. The Dark Lord snickered as a blare of lightning escaped his mouth.

    Although prince Yashiro tried to shield himself from the lightning using his sword, the lightning disappeared and appeared behind him. This did not give him any time to react, and he groaned in pain as the lightning struck him and surged through his body.

    The Dark Lord grinned as the fox prince fell to the ground. He stretched his narrow wing and used it to powerfully fling the fox prince aside. This caused prince Yashiro''s body to roughly hit the wall on his right. The agonizing, sharp pain from the lightning made his hands weak and his body heavy.

    "I must warn you," they heard the Dark Lord say, "That lightning is not normal. In a few minutes, it will reach your heart and pierce it, causing a slow, painful death."

    Astoria gasped and darted her eyes at the fox prince. Prince Yashiro glanced up to find the Dark Lord slowly approaching her. He tried to stand up but abruptly failed as his body hit the floor again as if there was a magnet pulling his body onto the floor. The thought of the Dark Lord killing his bride and then using her body as his vessel was enough to get his heart racing faster.

    "S-stay away from me!" prince Yashiro heard Astoria yell as she backed away with every step the Dark Lord took.

    The Dark Lord chuckled and continued to approach her, his hands stretched out.

    "I am warning you or else," Astoria said, clenching her fists as her body trembled in fear mixed with anger.

    "Or else what?" the Dark Lord mocked her, crossing his arms with an amused expression.

    She breathed out, her gaze fixed on his fiery ones. "Or else I will kill you."

    The Dark Lord loudly bellowed, causing the room to shake.

    "Not if I kill you first," he plunged forward.

    She gasped and closed her eyes.

    ''Help me!'' she internally yelled out, hoping that someone or something would help her.

    Suddenly, she felt the Silver Ocean course through her veins. Her body took on a fiery, silver glow, almost blinding the Dark Lord, who immediately flew in the air and remained there staring down at her. Astoria fell down on her knees and clutched her body as the power was becoming all too much. She could no longer hold its force in, and the power exploded, sending massive shockwaves of silver particles through the room.

    Astoria stared at her glowing body and then up at the ceiling where the Dark Lord was hovering. The particles of the Silver Ocean attached themselves to the Dark Lord''s skeletal body. He shrieked as it began to eat away his skeletal body like termites eating wood. He knew that he had to retreat or else he was going to be in big trouble.

    He stretched his narrow wings further and flew out of the room. She gasped as she felt the shockwave return to her body, almost crashing her body to the wall behind. She touched her head, feeling slightly dizzy. Standing up to walk towards the fox prince, she was hazy, confused, and weak in the knees as she felt like she would collapse under her own weight at any moment.

    The throbbing pain coursing through her body made her want to stop moving and just lay down, but she knew she had to get to the fox prince. She had to somehow help him. She stretched her hand around her chest as she limped her way to prince Yashiro. He lay where he was, unmoving, and her eyes widened. When she reached him, she fell to her knees and pulled him closer to her, placing his head on her chest.

    "Prince Yashiro!" she called out, "Prince Yashiro!"

    He slowly opened his eyes, his body looking pale and weak. His breathing was becoming more and more unsteady with every passing second.

    "I want to help you," she cried out, tears welling up in her eyes, "I need to help you, but...but I don''t know how to control the Silver Ocean. I don''t know how to do anything!"

    Her tears began to make their way down her cheeks, and she sniffed, staring at the dying prince who she could save but also could not.

 Chapter 68 - Adrift Among A Dream Part 3

    Her tears began to make their way down her cheeks, and she sniffed, staring at the dying prince who she could save but also could not.

    "I don''t even know how I activated my power before," she hiccuped as she cried, "Please don''t leave me, prince Yashiro. I''m so sorry that I cannot do anything."

    She stared at the open door and screamed for help. Suddenly, Ai stepped in and ran to her.

    "Big brother!" she shrieked, crouching next to him, "Nexi, do something! Use your power!"

    "I-I can''t," Astoria breathed out, "I want to, but I can''t-"

    "My brother is about to die, and you are telling me you can''t?" Ai gasped, slamming her fist on the ground.

    "I really want to-"

    Astoria was interrupted as prince Yashiro coughed up blood, his face contorting in a grimace. She stared down at him with widened, cobalt eyes as he began to gasp for air as the world around him began to spin. He could hear his sister and bride arguing but could not make out what they were saying. He slowly and shakingly stretched out his hand, cupping Astoria''s cheek.

    She placed her hands around his hand, holding it tightly. She felt her eyes burn with tears as Ai cried next to her. She felt hopeless and responsible for all of this. He was going to die because of her. Because she could not summon the Silver Ocean. Because she was weak in this world. Because the Dark Lord wanted her body and would kill anyone that would get in his way.

    ''Wait a minute,'' she thought, looking up and biting her lip, ''This dream feels familiar.''

    "I love you," the fox prince told her softly.

    ''These words sound familiar too,'' she added, tilting her head to look at the fox prince.

    Those were his final words as he lightly caressed her cheek. With that, his hand slowly fell to the ground. His body lay lifeless in her arms. This was what she was dreading the most. Feeling as though all the oxygen was knocked out of her body, the tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

    She screamed in pure agony as her heart ached at the loss of the fox prince, who she could have saved had she known how to activate or summon the Silver Ocean. He was now gone forever, and it was all her fault.

    ''This is that same nightmare!'' her eyes widened in realization.

    She stared at Ai, who was crying beside her and fisting the ground continuously. She then brought her attention to the dead prince in her arms.

    ''So he is the man whose face I could never decipher before?'' she gasped.

    "Bring him back!" she heard Ai yell as the fox princess gripped Astoria''s red wedding dress and pushed her back and forth, "Bring my brother back, Nexi!"

    Astoria breathed out in realization.

    ''It really is him,'' she pressed her lips together, her body moving left and right as Ai pushed and pulled her by the shoulder while yelling at her.

    Astoria woke up with her heart loudly pounding in her chest. She clutched her t-shirt as her body trembled. She felt the fox prince rustle in his sleep and stared at him.

    ''What is this?'' she wondered, feeling tired and frustrated, ''Is he going to die because of me? How can I have a nightmare about him in my world when we have never even met? This just does not make any sense!''

    After a few more rustles, prince Yashiro woke up to find Astoria looking distressed. He sat up, his hand running through his long, black hair, and raised an eyebrow. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she did not notice he had woken up.

    "You okay?" he asked her, his voice sounding groggy from sleep.

    She flinched upon hearing his voice and snapped out of her daze. She glanced sideways at the fox prince, who watched her with a worried expression. She brought her pillow to her face.

    "C-can I ask you a question that may sound weird?" he heard her ask, her voice muffled by the pillow covering her face.

    He nodded. "Ask away."

    She slowly pulled down the pillow, covering her face except her eyes. She stared at him as if examining his face to remember a memory she had locked deep within her heart years ago.

    "H-have we," she began, "met before? Like maybe years ago or in another world, perhaps?"

    She watched as the fox prince leaned back and looked up, his head tilted to the side.

    "I do not think so. I would have definitely remembered your face if that was the case. You are too beautiful for me to forget," he answered.

    He heard her sigh as a blush crept her face.

    "In another world, huh?" he asked, furrowing his brows.

    She slowly nodded.

    "Hmm," he looked at her, "Maybe we are reincarnations of past lovers?"

    She blushed harder at his remark and placed her pillow back on the bed. She placed her head on the pillow, her cobalt eyes staring at the ceiling.

    "Why do you ask?" the fox prince inquired.

    She shrugged, her gaze fixed on one spot on the ceiling.

    "I just had a nightmare that seemed way too real and similar to another nightmare I always have," she softly replied a few seconds later.

    "Is that so?" prince Yashiro lay his head on his pillow, "Was I in it?"

    She took a minute to answer him.

    ''You are always in it,'' she thought, ''Even though I never met you until now. Maybe we really were lovers in our past lives.''

    She nodded and pressed her lips.

    "Alive, I hope," he added, turning his head to face her.

    She turned to face him, and their eyes met.

    "Well," she began, "You were alive for a while."

    His well-defined face did not show any shock.

    "Is that so?" he asked, stretching his hand to touch her cheek.

    "And were you sad when I was not alive anymore?" his hand began caressing her cheek.

    Her hand gripped her pillow tightly, feeling overwhelmed by the heat radiating off her cheek as he retracted his hand.

    "I...well..." she had trouble maintaining eye contact.

    "I guess not," she heard the fox prince''s voice, a frown on his face.

    His demeanor suddenly changed, and he looked away, turning his body so that his back faced her. A soft chuckle almost escaped her lips.

    ''Aww,'' she thought, an amused smile on her face, ''Is he sulking?''

    She nudged his shoulder with her index finger causing him to shrug.

    "Are you sulking?" she asked, still nudging his shoulder.

    Silence.

    "Prince Yashiro," she called out his name.

    Still, there was silence.

    "Mr. Kuba Yashiro," she said, lightly pinching his shoulder.

    "Ow! That hurt, you know," he blurted, turning to face her, a pout on his face.

    "Oh, please," she chuckled, "Stop exaggerating."

    "I am not-"

    "Why are you so cute?" she cut him off as she muttered to herself.

    His eyes widened at her statement, and so did hers. She just found his pouting face and sulking cute because he looked like a little kid. She had no idea she had said her thoughts out loud. She covered her mouth with her hands and continued to stare at him wide-eyed.

    "What did you call me? Cute?" he asked, grinning.

    She shook her head, taking short blinks.

    ''Astoria Chambers! Me and my big mouth,'' she thought as she internally facepalmed multiple times.

    She saw the fox prince stretch his arm and wrap it around her waist. He pulled her close to him, their faces a few inches apart. She could feel his hot breath hit her neck. She pressed her lips together and stretched her arms out, placing her palms on his chest.

    "Do you think I''m cute?" she heard him ask, a hint of amusement in his voice.

    She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

    "I will take that as a yes," he playfully winked.

    He began to lean forward, his gray eyes darting from her eyes to her lips. He licked his lips as his gaze was now fixed on her slightly open mouth.

    ''Oh lord,'' she thought, ''I am not ready for another kiss.''

    As the fox prince was about to kiss her, they were interrupted by a knock on their door. He softly growled, his eyes staring daggers at the door.

    "Um, I''ll get it," Astoria said, quickly jumping off the bed and heading for the door, thankful that they were interrupted.

    She wondered who it was that needed one of them so early in the morning. It was 2am. She heard the fox prince click his tongue in annoyance and held back a smile. Opening the door, light from the hallway streamed in. Her eyes glanced sideways but found no one in front of her, that was until she glanced downwards. She saw Lara holding her pillow tightly.. She crouched down and smiled at the little fox.

 Chapter 69 - Static In The Air

    She wondered who it was that needed one of them so early in the morning. It was 2am. She heard the fox prince click his tongue in annoyance and held back a smile. Opening the door, light from the hallway streamed in. Her eyes glanced sideways but found no one in front of her, that was until she glanced downwards. She saw Lara holding her pillow tightly. She crouched down and smiled at the little fox.

    "Lara," prince Yashiro heard Astoria call out.

    He sat up and crossed his arms.

    "Are you okay?" she asked the little fox.

    She watched as Lara fidgeted, looking nervous with a hunched posture.

    "Um," Lara began, "I am having trouble sleeping, so...P-please may I-I sleep with you guys. I know it is an uncomfortable request, but w-well I-"

    "Sure. Come on in, little one," Lara heard Astoria say without hesitation.

    The little fox''s eyes widened, and she blinked back tears, feeling extremely thankful. She stepped inside the room and found the fox prince awake. He was staring at her. Astoria smiled as she carried the little fox in her arms and walked towards the bed. She gently placed Lara in the middle, setting her pillow down. She got under the covers and pulled the covers over Lara and herself. All the while, prince Yashiro stared at them in silence.

    Lara lay her head on her pillow, nodding off and jerking awake a few times. All the while, Astoria watched, her hand placed on Lara''s chest. She lightly patted the little fox''s chest until she fell asleep. She moved some loose, white strands away from the little fox''s face and smiled. She glanced up to find prince Yashiro still looking a bit annoyed at the interruption, and she almost laughed.

    "Don''t look so annoyed. Go to sleep," she whispered to him and rested her head on her pillow, facing Lara.

    Prince Yashiro sighed and draped the covers on himself.

    "Fine," she heard him whisper back, "However, this conversation is not over."

    She softly chuckled.

    "Yes, yes," she sighed, "Sweet dreams."

    That is how Ai found them in the morning when she had knocked on the door countless times because the maid needed to give Lara her clothes to wear.

    "They are probably still sleeping," Ai told the maid, placing her hand around the doorknob.

    The fox princess slowly opened the door and found that she was correct. Walking closer to their bed, Ai''s gray eyes widened in shock at the scene in front of her.

    "Aww," she quietly exclaimed, clutching her dress, "This is way too cute."

    She found Lara sleeping between Astoria and her big brother. Both Astoria and the fox prince were facing Lara, and the little fox had held their hands as she slept.

    "Father, daughter, and mother," Ai smiled, staring at each of them.

    She turned to the door and walked out, shutting it behind her.

    "Let''s give them more time to sleep," she told the maid, "They look exhausted."

    They both walked their separate ways. Ai made her way upstairs to a room where she created her potions. On her way there, she came across prince Yoshito who was lost in his own world.

    "Someone had a great time yesterday," Ai teased, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

    He snapped out his thoughts and rolled his eyes.

    "And also," Ai added, crossing her arms and pouting, "why did you not allow me to join you guys for dinner yesterday?"

    Prince Yoshito sighed and shook his head.

    "I wanted to spend some alone time with him," he said, "You know how I have not seen him for two months since he left for his business trip."

    "You are just too possessive of uncle Adam," Ai shook her head, dismissively waving her hand in the air.

    Prince Yoshito laughed.

    "Whatever. Where are Yashiro and Nexi?" he asked her, "I heard from one of the royal guards that he brought home a strange child. What is that about?"

    She shrugged.

    "It is a long story, but he will let everyone know today," she smiled at him, "Anyway, I am a busy princess, so if you will excuse me."

    "Off to make some potions before breakfast?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "Yeah. Plus, the infirmary is running out of tranquility potions, so I need to make more," she waved him goodbye and left.

    He watched her back disappear as she turned to the right of the hallway. He heard the sound of a door closing and smiled. Steepling his fingers, he furrowed his brow.

    "I am not possessive, right?" he mumbled to himself, his ocean blue eyes fixed on his steepled fingers.

    He sighed and shrugged.

    ''If it is true,'' he thought, a smile making its way across his face, ''I cannot help it. I love Adam so much.''

    He walked away. About two hours had passed since Ai had gone into her big brother''s room to wake him and his fianc�� up. Astoria''s eyes slowly fluttered open, and she noticed that Lara was holding her hand. She smiled and slowly woke up, making sure not to wake the little fox and the fox prince.

    She grabbed her bathing amenities and took a hot shower. When she was done, she walked to her suitcase, grabbed a simple, knee-length blue, sundress and headed for the bathroom. She stared at her reflection in the mirror after dressing up and tied her hair in a loose bun, leaving loose strands of hair on either side of her face.

    She put on her black Mary Jane shoes. When she had stepped out of the bathroom, she realised that Lara and prince Yashiro were gone. She tilted her head and crouched next to her suitcase, putting back her things. The door opened, and the fox prince walked in.

    She watched as he walked towards her and crouched beside her, his hands resting on his lap. He stretched out his hand and touched her soft and silky blue-black hair. She froze in place, unable to speak a word.

    "Good morning to the woman who called me cute yesterday," the fox prince said, grinning from ear to ear.

    She pushed his hand away and stood up.

    "I never said you are cute," she lied, glancing sideways, "You must have imagined it."

    She heard him chuckle as he stood up and looked down at her, a happy smile plastered on his face.

    "Hmm, maybe I did," he teased, "Maybe I just imagined hearing you call me cute because I want you to call me that."

    "Never in your wildest dreams," he heard her reply, causing him to laugh loudly, "Where is Lara?"

    She backed away from him with every step he took. He kept steady eye contact, his gray eyes fixed on her cobalt ones. Her body hit the side of the bed, causing her to fall on the bed, her back hitting it. She watched as he hovered over her, his left hand placed above her head.

    "Our little girl is taking a bath and will join us for breakfast," he told her, "Breakfast will be at 10 since it seems everyone is running late today and overslept."

    His voice was husky, and she nodded.

    "Wait," she said, avoiding eye contact, "You called her our little girl?"

    Prince Yashiro nodded and licked his lips.

    "Yeah, she is our little girl," he said, "I am finding myself growing fond of her since I woke up to find her holding my hand and yours. It makes me want to quickly get married to you and start a family-"

    "Woah, whoah, whoah!" she exclaimed as her eyes widened in shock, "Let''s not rush the process."

    She heard him laugh and watched as his eyes slowly scanned her face. His gaze moved to her cleavage, and she blushed. He smiled and quickly kissed her cheek. He then stood up and walked into the bathroom. She sat up and let out a breath of relief. She fixed her hair and stood up, wanting to quickly leave the room before he tried to kiss her again.

    She walked to Lara''s room and found her dressed in a cute, baby pink dress that covered her tiny shoulders halfway and flowed down into a simple sweetheart neckline. The dress was a comfortable fit with a graceful look.  The little fox''s arms were covered all the way down to her wrists. A dark blue bow, which rested gently on her belly, wrapped around her tiny waist. She wore cute pink t-strapped shoes.

    "Princess Nexi!" Lara happily exclaimed upon seeing her.

    The maid who was doing Lara''s hair bowed at Astoria. The little fox jumped from her seat and ran to hug Astoria''s legs, catching her by surprise. She smiled and crouched down, giving Lara a head pat. She caressed her cheek.

    "Oh my," she began examining her attire, "You look like a princess, Lara."

    The little fox tilted her head up and blushed, making patterns on the floor using her leg.

 Chapter 70 - To Be Or Not To Be

    The little fox tilted her head up and blushed, making patterns on the floor using her leg.

    "Miss Lara," they heard the maid call out, "Let me finish brushing your hair."

    Astoria stood up and held Lara''s hand, walking towards the maid. She sat the little fox down.

    "I will continue brushing her hair," she told the maid, her palm facing up for the maid to hand her the brush, "So you may leave. Thank you for your help."

    The maid handed Astoria the brush, bowed, and left. She smiled at Lara''s mirrored reflection and began to brush her silky white hair.

    "Do you want a specific hairstyle, or should I just brush it down?" she asked the little fox.

    Lara nodded. "Pigtails, please."

    Astoria brushed the little fox''s white hair and braided it. She smiled when she was done with the pigtails, placing her hands on the little fox''s shoulders.

    "Do they look fine?" she asked the little fox.

    "It is perfect. Thank you," Lara smiled, touching her pigtails and staring at her mirror reflection.

    "We have about fifteen minutes left before we go have breakfast," Astoria said, staring at Lara''s reflection, "Today, the king and queen will find out about you. I am pretty sure they must have heard that there is a child kitsune in the palace."

    Lara pressed her lips together, feeling nervous and scared.

    "No matter what their answer will be about you staying here," Astoria continued, turning Lara around so that she could look her dead in the eyes.

    "Just know that I will be by your side, fighting for you, and so will prince Yashiro and princess Ai. Okay?"

    Lara enclosed Astoria''s hands with hers and nodded.

    "Yes, princess Nexi," she tilted her head and gave Astoria a closed eye smile, "Thank you."

    They stayed in the room and chatted for a while until it was time for breakfast. They walked to the dining room and found the siblings seated next to each other, engaged in a deep conversation.

    "Honestly," Astoria and Lara heard Ai say," I still cannot believe you did not let me join you and Uncle Adam for dinner."

    "Why are you still stuck on that?" prince Yoshito rolled his eyes.

    "Because I wanted to spend time with uncle Adam too!" Ai retorted, throwing her hands in the air, "It is not like I was gonna keep following you guys afterward. I do not want to see what freaky stuff you guys do."

    "Hey!" prince Yoshito angry-whispered, nudging his sister''s side.

    He crossed his arms and let out an exasperated sigh. He looked up and found Astoria standing with the strange child kitsune.

    "Well, you can spend time with uncle Adam today at the festival," he said, eyeing Lara as she sat next to Astoria, across from them, "And you can join us for dinner next time."

    "It will not be the same," Ai murmured, then turned her attention to Astoria and Lara, "Morning, you two cuties!"

    Astoria smiled. "Good morning to you both."

    "G-good morning," Lara softly greeted, a blush creeping her face.

    ''She actually looks adorably cute,'' thought prince Yoshito.

    "I am pretty sure you both slept well," Ai winked at Astoria, who stared at her with a confused expression, "I saw how cute you guys were lying on the bed like a family."

    ''Oh,'' Astoria thought, ''That is what she meant.''

    She laughed and rested her chin on her hand.

    "We did not hear you knock or even call out to us, Ai," she said, sighing, "Sorry, but we were all dead tired since we had a long day yesterday."

    Ai nodded, and the butler opened the dining-room door, allowing the king and queen to step inside the room. Astoria immediately sat up straight like a lady or princess ought to.

    "Good morning to everyone," the queen sang, her face beaming.

    "Someone is in a good mood this morning," prince Yoshito whispered to his sister, who nodded.

    "It looks like we have a special guest who will join us for breakfast," the king said, taking a seat next to his wife.

    The queen smiled at Lara and placed her hands on the table, resting her chin on them.

    "What is your name, little one?" she asked Lara.

    Lara sat up straight and bowed her head.

    "My name is Lara," she began, "Lara Marbita, your highness."

    "My, my, what a pretty name," the queen complimented.

    Just then, the dining-room door opened, and prince Yashiro walked in, taking a seat next to Lara. The little fox sat between Astoria and prince Yashiro. When Ai saw this, she closed her eyes and internally squealed at how they looked like a family.

    "Good morning, father, mother," prince Yashiro greeted his parents.

    "Morning, son," his father replied, "Mind explaining who this child is?"

    He nodded, and Astoria reached out her hand and enclosed it on Lara''s to reassure her not to worry. The fox prince began to explain, leaving out unnecessary parts like how his fiance had to seduce Lara''s uncle to get him to spill the truth. She carefully examined the king and queen''s expressions as he explained to them. Their faces remained neutral throughout his whole explanation.

    "Ah, you poor thing," the queen said after a minute of processing the information she had just received.

    She was holding back tears.

    "Mother," Ai said in disbelief, her eyebrows raised, "Are you about to cry?"

    The queen shook her head ''no'' and blew cold air onto her eyes by waving her right hand in front of her eyes.

    "N-no," the queen stammered, "I just sympathise with her, and well, it is sad for a child to go through a traumatic incident like that. I would know since I also went through a traumatic incident."

    The king placed his hand on his wife''s shoulder and stared at Lara with a genuine smile.

    "Do not worry, little one," they heard him say, "You can stay for as long as you like."

    Lara''s eyes widened in shock, and she glanced sideways to stare at prince Yashiro and Astoria. She did not know that it would be this easy for her to stay with the royal family. Prince Yashiro stared at her and gave her a closed eyes smile. She began to sniff as she held back tears that were gathering in her eyes.  Astoria caressed her cheek and gave her a smile.

    "Any update on Lara''s grandmother?" the king asked prince Yashiro.

    "Doctor Xion said she will undergo oral surgery next week," prince Yashiro said.

    "That''s great news," Ai said, clapping her hands in delight.

    Prince Yoshito nodded. The king loudly clapped his hands, and the maids stepped in with their breakfast. Prince Yashiro helped cut the sausages into tiny pieces for Lara. The queen smiled, imagining how fatherly her son would be when he has a child of his own in the future.

    There was sauce on the side of Lara''s mouth. Astoria noticed this, grabbed a serviette, and gently cupped the little fox''s chin. She gently wiped the sauce from her mouth and smiled when Lara gave her a cute smile. Prince Yoshito smiled at the cute scene.

    When they finished eating, the king and queen took their leave, saying they were going to the festival to do some shopping. The children waved goodbye as they walked out the door. When the parents left, the siblings let out a sigh of relief.

    "Man," Ai breathed out.

    "I know, right," prince Yoshito added.

    Astoria stared at them, her eyebrow raised, wondering what the two were on about.

    "They cannot believe that our parents agreed to let Lara stay," prince Yashiro told her, "Frankly, even I cannot believe it."

    Astoria nodded, she too not believing it but feeling relieved at the favourable result. Prince Yoshito and Yashiro stood up.

    "Well, ladies," prince Yoshito spoke, "My brother and I have important business to attend to."

    Prince Yashiro nodded. "Duty calls. We will see you before you leave for Ashen."

    ''Ah,'' Astoria realised, ''I forgot that I am leaving this afternoon. Somehow, I was starting to get comfortable.''

    "Bye," Ai waved at her brothers.

    When they left, she turned her attention to Astoria and Lara.

    "I need the help of both of you in making potions," the fox princess told them, "After that, we can head to the festival just to have fun and make sweet memories before you leave, Nexi."

    Astoria and Lara exchanged glances.

    "Sure," Astoria smiled, "Why not?"

    Ai jumped up and down in excitement. "Yay! Let''s get to work, ladies."

    They arrived at the room Lara used for potion-making. It was a big room filled with glass jars and bottles. Ingredients were labeled and stacked all around the room. Astoria and Ai walked to Ai''s workstation. A potion book was placed atop the work desk.

    "Handbook Of Potions?" Astoria read the title of the potion book.

    "Yes, it contains potion recipes. We are going to make a tranquility potion. The recipe is by Doctor Ano N.. Ymous," Ai began to explain to Astoria and Lara as she paged through the book to find the tranquility potion.

 Chapter 71 - Potions And Motions

    "Yes, it contains potion recipes. Right now, we are going to make a tranquility potion. The recipe is by Doctor Ano N. Ymous," Ai began to explain to Astoria and Lara as she paged through the book to find the tranquility potion.

    "Why are we making a tranquility potion?" Astoria asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "It is used for a medicinal purpose in our infirmary," Ai said, staring at the page with the tranquility potion recipe, "So we make our own for our injured soldiers, royal guards, and the sort. It is a very effective anesthesia."

    "Wow," Lara exclaimed, staring at the different colourful-looking potions and ingredients stacked on the shelves.

    Astoria and Ai turned their attention to the little fox who was hopping about and whose eyes were dazzling with a glint of curiosity and wonder at the variety of potions and ingredients.

    "Make sure you do not touch anything," Astoria told Lara.

    "Yes, princess Nexi!" the little fox replied, nodding her head and clasping her hands together, continuing her potion and ingredients sightseeing.

    "Let''s see," Ai began, running her finger along the instructions written on the page in front of her, "It says here that to brew a tranquility potion, we need to gather the following ingredients and follow the steps closely, paying great attention to detail."

    She read the ingredients. These included two bits of Ember Moss, three tablespoons of Fade Chicory, five tablespoons of Arctic Creeper, two tablespoons of Blister Mallow, and three bits of Hybernation Tarragon.

    "Oh!" Astoria exclaimed upon realising that she recognised the names of the ingredients, "So that was why you bought those plants from that owner? To make this tranquility potion?"

    "Bingo!" Ai nodded, giving her a thumbs up.

    Ai ran her index finger over the first instruction.

    "So first, we have to crush the Ember Moss with whatever does the job for us and put the result in a cup," Ai told Astoria.

    Astoria nodded and read the instructions.

    "Could you bring me that mortar and pestle over there?" Ai asked her, pointing at the mortar and pestle on the top shelf across from them.

    Astoria smiled and walked to the shelf, stretching her hands and reaching for the mortar and pestle. The mortar and pestle were black in colour and made of granite. She held the two tools in her hands and walked back to Ai. The fox princess clapped her hands in delight and walked to the shelf behind her.

    There she grabbed a jar labeled ''Ember Moss'' and walked back to her workstation. She took out two pairs of blue safety gloves. She handed one pair to Astoria and opened the jar of Ember Moss. She put the plant in the mortar and handed Astoria the pestle.

    "I need you to crush it," Ai instructed, earning a nod from Astoria.

    The fox princess watched as Astoria put on her safety gloves and began to carefully crush and grind the Ember Moss, its minty scent filling the entire room. Ai read the second instruction, which stated that she needed to add some water to turn it into a creamy emulsion.

    "Lara?" Ai called the little fox who was staring at a pink potion that looked like a pink cloud stuck in a glass jar.

    "Yes, princess Ai," Lara replied, turning her attention away from the potion and at the fox princess.

    Ai laughed and shook her head.

    "We are family now, so call me sister Ai, alright?" Ai told her, to which she nodded.

    "Now, please fill that cup with water and bring it to me," Ai instructed the little fox, pointing at the tap next to her.

    Lara nodded and saw a clean cup lying next to the tap. She grabbed it, put it under the tap, and turned the tap on, filling the cup with water. She held the cup with both hands and walked to the fox princess.

    "Here you go, sister Ai," Lara beamed, handing Ai the cup of water.

    "Thank you," Ai smiled and pat Lara''s head before grabbing the cup of water.

    She tapped Astoria''s shoulder and pointed at the water.

    "Grab that black bowl," Ai pointed at the bowl next to Astoria.

    Astoria grabbed it and placed it in front of Ai. The fox princess told her to put the crushed Ember Moss in the black bowl. When Astoria did as she was instructed, Ai poured the cup of water into the bowl and stirred with a spoon. As the recipe had stated, the Ember Moss turned into a creamy emulsion.

    All the while, Lara found a chair next to an open window that overlooked the royal garden. She sat on the chair and stared at the beautiful scenery of the garden, occasionally turning her head to glance at Ai and Astoria. They were pacing back and forth as they continued to make the tranquility potion.

    Ai added the Fade Chicory, one quarter at a time. She then filled a pan with liquified steam and added the crushed Ember Moss and Faded Chicory mixture. She placed the pan on the magical stove she had bought six years ago, which still, mind you, works like a charm to this day.

    "Iceius Morbidoose," the fox princess uttered, her palm hovering above the mixed ingredients.

    A wobbly, blue coil of waves emerged from her palm and made their way into the mixed ingredients. Astoria stared in amusement, her eyebrows raised.

    "The recipe says we need to cool it down," Ai explained, giving her a smile, "before bringing the mixture to a boil."

    Astoria nodded and clasped her hands together, her eyes glued to what the fox princess was doing. She found potion-making fascinating and watched Ai diligently and closely. Ai let the mixture simmer until it darkened into a dark green colour before adding the Arctic Creeper and Blister Mallow plants which she just threw in there.

    "Please stir this with that wooden spoon," Ai instructed, pointing at the wooden spoon.

    Astoria grabbed the spoon and stirred the contents in the pan. She watched as Ai walked to a cabinet and grabbed a jar. The fox princess placed the jar on the work table. It was labeled ''Hibernation Tarragon.''

    Slowly, very slowly, as the mixture began to simmer,  Ai opened the jar of Hibernation Tarragon. She mixed it in and told Astoria to stir the contents. After a minute of stirring, Ai let out a sigh and stretched her arms out in the air.

    "Now we just let everything cool down, princess Nexi," she told Astoria, who nodded and placed the wooden spoon aside.

    Ai adjusted the magical stove''s heat. She grabbed a chair, faced it towards Lara, and sat down.

    "Since our mixture is cooling down, we should probably do the same," Ai said, removing the safety gloves and placing them on the work table.

    Astoria nodded and removed hers as well, grabbing a chair and sitting next to the fox princess.

    "We will go to the festival after this, Lara," she heard Ai say to Lara, who turned and smiled.

    Astoria stared at the wooden clock on the wall.

    ''Wow,'' she stared in bewilderment, ''We have been at it for an hour and a half. Potion-making is hard work. I admire Ai for doing this.''

    Ai followed the direction of Astoria''s eyes and saw that she was looking at the wall clock.

    "Potion making takes a great deal of time," Lara and Astoria heard Ai say, "Especially because you have to be extra vigilant with your ingredients and process as one wrong move could result in you creating a completely different potion which could have severe side effects and endanger you."

    "I really admire your patience and love for making potions, Ai," Astoria smiled genuinely.

    Ai laughed, her laughter filling the room, which was filled with the sound of a simmering mixture.

    "Thank you, princess Nexi," the fox princess giggled, "My name will go down in history as one of the greatest potion makers in the world one day. Watch the space!"

    Lara and Astoria nodded in unison.

    "We will cheer you on, sister Ai," Lara said, placing her hands in front of her chest and clenching her fists.

    A look of support was plastered on her face, and this caused Ai to smile and wink at her.

    "I am glad to hear that," Ai stood up and turned off the heat of the magical stove.

    She clenched her hands above her head and cheered triumphantly.

    "And we are done. The tranquility potion is a great success!" she yelled, staring up at the ceiling.

    She grabbed a few empty potion bottles and took another spoon to scoop the mixture and pour it into the potion bottles. Once all the potion bottles were filled to the core, she placed her palm above them.

    "Locoricus Foclindo," she uttered, causing a light, scarlet line of particles to snake their way down her hand and then attach themselves to the potion bottles.

    "What spell is that, sister Ai?" Lara asked, staring with wide, fascinated eyes.

 Chapter 72 - Goodbye, Sweet Memories

    "What spell is that, sister Ai?" Lara asked, staring with wide, fascinated eyes.

    "This right here, sweet Lara," Ai replied, grabbing labels and a pen in one of the cupboards and approaching the work table, "is what will make the potion come alive."

    Astoria pressed her lips together and leaned forward. She wrapped her arms around her waist and, feeling fascinated, examined the tranquility potions which had scarlet lines of particles attached to them.

    "Come alive?" she asked her, raising her eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

    Ai began writing ''Tranquility'' in bold, capital letters on the labels. She removed the labels, sticking one on the tranquility potion bottles.

    "You see how the potions look like a green, gooey liquid?" Ai pointed at the potions to which Astoria nodded.

    "The spell I just cast will turn that liquid into a gas state," Ai continued, "The potion bottles will contain floating green gas in twenty-four hours, and that gas is the tranquility."

    "Wow," Lara breathed out, her eyes glued to the tranquility potions lined up on the work table, "The potion will look like that pink one over there?"

    Lara pointed to the pink potion she had seen earlier. Ai nodded, giving her a thumbs up.

    "The tranquility potions will be ready for usage in the infirmary once the time is up and they turn into a green gas," Ai crossed her arms and smiled.

    "Only a droplet is needed for the tranquility potion to take effect, so these potions will last us for about two to three months, and then I will have to make more once we run out of them."

    Ai grabbed the potion bottles and placed them on one of the empty shelves.

    "Now then," she said as she placed the last tranquility potion on the shelf, "Who is ready for some food and fun at the festival?"

    Astoria and Lara exchanged glances and smiled at Ai.

    "We are!" the two replied in unison, their voices cheery.

    Ai walked to the work station, took her safety gloves, and went to wash the pan, mortar, pestle, and spoons wearing a pair of pink gloves she used when washing the potion equipment. When she was done, she cleaned hers and Astoria''s gloves, hanging them on the small rail atop the sink. She walked to the door and gave them a thumbs up.

    "Okay, great!" the fox princess exclaimed, "Let''s go then!"

    She opened the door, and they all headed to one of the royal carriages. The carriage driver bowed and opened the carriage door for them to enter. They thanked him and entered. Lara and Ai sat together while Astoria sat across them. A few seconds later, the carriage began to move, heading to Yuudai for the second and last day of the Festival of Paint.

    "Oh, by the way," Astoria leaned forward, her hands gripping her seat, "I have something I have been curious about since I arrived here in Chesropis."

    "Hm?" Ai tilted her head.

    "When I came here," Astoria began, "I noticed that there were no cars at all, just animal-drawn transport like this carriage here. How come?"

    "Ah that," Ai tugged her hair behind her ears, "We have a no-car policy which states that no cars are allowed within the kingdom of Chesropis unless they are to drop off someone, and that is only at designated times between 4 and 5h30 pm."

    "Oh wow," Astoria leaned back, feeling impressed by this, "That is quite interesting. So that was why I was allowed to come by car because it was estimated that I would arrive within the time slot?"

    Ai nodded and began to gently pat Lara''s head, earning a look of satisfaction and happiness from the little fox.

    "My mother came up with the rule as she wanted a clean society free from pollution and car accidents," Ai added, smiling at Lara, "and she wanted to reduce our kingdom''s carbon footprint."

    Astoria nodded. "Your mother is amazing."

    They arrived at the festival to find it still bustling with creatures and tourists. The only difference was that today, fewer creatures and tourists were shopping and enjoying the festival today.

    "What should we do first?" she asked the fox princess.

    Ai pinched her nose and closed her eyes, thinking of places they could go to. She opened her eyes and smiled as an idea popped into her head. She turned her attention to Lara and crouched down to her level.

    "How about we do what you want to do first, little Lara?" Ai suggested, eyeing Astoria and then Lara.

    "R-really?" Lara beamed, crinkling her eyes and nose as she grinned from ear to ear.

    "That is a good idea," Astoria nodded.

    "Then I want some candy," Lara said, "May we go buy some?"

    Astoria and Ai exchanged glances and nodded.

    "Kids sure love candy," Ai whispered to Astoria as they stared at Lara''s beaming face.

    Astoria nodded. "They sure do. I''m surprised that''s what she wants to do first."

    Ai clapped her hands.

    "Okay then. Let''s go find a candy stall," Ai began to leave, and Lara followed her, entwining her hands with the fox princess''.

    Astoria smiled as she saw them walk hand in hand. She could not believe that she was leaving today. It was like she had just arrived a minute ago. That was how time felt like it had passed by so quickly in the blink of an eye.

    ''Ah, I have to see Morvin and Naida again. Great,'' she thought, crossing her arms as she walked next to Ai.

    They passed many stalls until they reached a stall that was decorated colorfully and cutely. It was a candy stall, and many parents were lined up with their kids, waiting to buy some candy. Astoria and the others joined the queue.

    "I see a variety of candies," she told Ai.

    Ai nodded. "I, for one, just want some pink candyfloss."

    She smiled at that as she also loved candyfloss. As the queue began to get shorter and shorter, it was finally their turn. Just then, a female figure crouching down across the counter emerged, standing next to the stall owner.

    "Oh!" Astoria and the female figure both exclaimed, pointing at each other.

    "It''s you," Astoria said, staring at the werewolf woman they had met yesterday who sold them food.

    "Oh, you''re that ''werewolf'' lady, right?" Ai leaned forward and asked her, whispering the werewolf part.

    The werewolf woman nodded, giving them a smile.

    "It is great to meet you two again," the woman said.

    Ai nodded and smiled back while Lara gazed upon the variety of candies lined up on the counter.

    "So you are selling candy today?" Astoria asked the woman while Ai and Lara spoke to the stall''s owner, telling him what they wanted.

    The woman nodded.

    "This here is my magic teacher," the woman said, pointing at the stall''s owner, "I''m helping him sell today."

    "Magic teacher?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

    The woman shook her head ''yes.''

    "Yeah, he teaches me how to control magic and summon magic spells and the sort," the woman explained.

    "Oh, and two Fairy Rings, please," they both heard Ai say.

    The fox princess turned to Astoria.

    "What do you want, Nexi?" she heard Ai ask her, causing her to turn her attention away from the werewolf woman and to the variety of candies.

    She leaned forward and saw blue candyfloss and colourful twister-like candy. She pointed to those two things, and Ai nodded.

    "The blue candyfloss and ten Twisters, please," Ai told the owner.

    The owner began to put the candies in different clear plastic bags. He prepared the blue candyfloss for Astoria and pink candyfloss for Ai and Lara. When he was done preparing everything, he gave it to them. Astoria grabbed her blue candyfloss and some candy-filled plastic bags. Lara and Ai grabbed their pink candyfloss and the remaining plastic bags of candy.

    "Thank you," Lara and Ai told the owner in unison.

    "Princess Nexi?" Astoria heard the werewolf woman call out to her.

    She turned her head to the woman who handed her a piece of paper with writing on it.

    "What''s this?" Astoria asked the woman.

    The werewolf woman leaned forward, her face a few inches from Astoria''s.

    "If you need a magic or summoning teacher, let me know," the bright gold-eyed woman told her.

    "A teacher?" Astoria mumbled to herself as she stared into the woman''s eyes.

    The werewolf woman leaned back and nodded.

    "I just have a feeling that you will need me one day," the woman clasped her hands together and looked up at the clear blue sky, "Call it my amazing intuition? Or maybe...fate?"

    Ai and Lara stared at them, wondering what the two were talking about. Astoria stared at the white piece of paper in her hand and looked up at the werewolf. For now, she was not going to think this was strange or weird.

    ''Let me just say thanks and leave,'' she thought.

 Chapter 73 - AUTHORS ANNOUNCEMENT

    Hi readers! I have just published my 2nd novel which will stray from the fantasy romance genre and enter the contemporary romance genre. It is called The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure. I would appreciate if you support it like you support this fantasy novel. Your reviews, comments, power stones, gifts and feedback would be deeply appreciated. Looking forward to going on another epic journey with you! Below is the snyopsis and first chapter of The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure.

    Synopsis:

    It all began on that one fateful, cold winters night. A wounded man entered the caf�� just as she was about to lock up and leave.

    "Good heavens!" she watched the unknown man who was clutching the side of his chest.

    The man collapsed on the floor, his body lying cold and almost lifeless on the marbled floor. Grabbing the first aid kit, she gently lay the man on the bed and cleaned his wound.

    "So," she said, wrapping a bandage around the man''s broad, well-toned chest, "It seems you''ve been stabbed. Don''t worry, it''s not fatal."

    When the man came to, he found himself staring at a woman who gave him, a complete stranger, the most genuine smile he had ever received.

    "I''ve already called the ambulance," she spoke, "You''ll be okay, sir."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    A few years later, Lai Xiulan meets the strange man again, only to find that he is actually Bai Yin, one of Forbes''s richest male billionaires. And what''s this she hears from whispers on the street? He''s actually the mafia CEO of Nero Inc., a multinational electronics and information technology company!?

    "Come work for me as my PA," he offers her a contract.

    Her hazel brown eyes widen. This was her chance to help her mother pay the bills. An opportunity to turn her mother and her life around. She had no idea that signing the contract would change her mundane life dramatically and unpredictably.

    Being Bai Yin''s PA was a whole mission on its own. The man would always tease her with every chance he got. He was also a perfectionist, something Lai was definitely not. However, in Bai''s eyes, she was more than perfect. To him, she was a drug he didn''t know he needed. His night in shining armor. The only woman who ever made him feel alive. She brought light into his lonely, dark world.

    She was his treasure.

    Chapter 1: Holding An Unconscious Body

    The pain that was once sharp and burning now felt dull and distant. He had endured it for far too long and now felt like nothing more than an empty husk of who he once was. For a moment, he thought about just giving in to the pain, letting it consume his body completely as there seemed to be no way out.

    He paused for a moment and contemplated every answer to this pain, weighing each option and trying to find the best one. He could not believe that his trusted personal assistant, who worked for him for the past three years, would betray him like this. How could the man sell the companies secrets? How could he sell him out to his rival company?

    His personal assistant had given his rival company''s CEO his location, and that was how he ended up with a stab wound to the side of his chest. Thankfully, he managed to run away. He clicked his tongue in annoyance every time he pictured his PA''s face. His hand covered his side to prevent any blood from spurting out of his stab wound.

    It was challenging to focus between the moments of pain and the voices yelling behind him, telling him to stop and that there was no way to run. However, he pressed onward, determined not to let the pain rushing through his body ruin his plan to escape and find a place of safety. If there was a place of safety open on this cold winter''s night. He limped on, which was the best solution to survive.

    Brown, well-groomed hair was tied up in a high pony, revealing a woman''s full, charming face. Large hazelnut eyes, set appealingly within their sockets, watchfully watched over the remainder of customers who were taking their leave. Fair skin alluringly complimented her eyes and mouth, leaving a pleasurable memory of her heavenly luck in the beauty department.

    "Please come again!" she smiled, waving the customers goodbye.

    This was the face of Lai Xiulan, an employee of Ebony Chocolate Caf��. It was currently 6:35 PM and time for Lai to close the caf�� as she was in charge of locking up tonight. Her other colleagues had already left. She stretched her hands in the air and sighed. It had been a long day. She grabbed her phone from her white flower-decorated tote bag and pulled it out to request a cab home.

    Once she was done, she grabbed the caf�� keys and walked to the corner of the cafe to set the alarm system. As she was about to set it, the caf��''s bells, which rang every time a customer entered the caf��, suddenly rang. She bent her head, pressing her lips together to prevent a groan from escaping. She just wanted to go home already.

    "Sorry, but we''re clos-"

    Her hazelnut eyes widened when she turned around.

    "Good heavens!" she watched an unknown man clutching the side of his chest.

    Suddenly, the man collapsed face flat on the floor, his body lying cold and almost lifeless on the marbled floor. Running to his side, she crouched down and turned his body so that she could see him.

    "Sir?" she gently shook him, "Sir? Are you alright?"

    She quickly examined his body and found the bottom, right side of his chest oozing crimson blood. She bit her lip. His now white shirt was stained with mud and blood. Placing her index finger on his neck to detect his heartbeat, she sighed in relief when she noticed that he was still alive.

    "Okay, sir," she wrapped her arms around his waist and tried to lift him up, "Stay with me. It''ll be okay."

    Lifting him up and placing him on one of the caf��s bed, which her employer had in the caf�� in the event of an employee falling sick or being injured while on duty, was a whole mission on its own. The man was twice her body weight. She huffed and puffed after laying him on the bed. She grabbed the first aid kit and thanked the lucky stars for taking a First Aid Class in high school.

    "This might hurt," she told him, removing his blazer, "Bear with me."

    She said that because part of his white shirt was glued to his stab wound. As she gently and slowly removed his shirt, his face contorted in despair. He bit his lip to prevent any groans from escaping his mouth.

    "So," she said while wrapping a bandage around the man''s broad, well-toned chest, "It seems you''ve been stabbed. Don''t worry, though. It''s not fatal."

    He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He just did not have the energy to speak or move his body.

    "I''ve already called the ambulance," she spoke, "You''ll be okay, sir."

    Upon hearing her reassuring words and soft, soothing voice, he fell unconscious. Minutes later, he found himself staring at a white ceiling when he came to. He tried to sit up but groaned at the pain that traveled through his body like a sudden bolt of lightning. Thankfully, the ambulance had already arrived.

    "He''s in here," Lai ushered the paramedics to the room.

    She turned her attention to the wounded man and gave him, a complete stranger, the most genuine smile he had ever received. The paramedics carefully positioned him on the stretcher.

    "I''ll come with you," she told one of the paramedics, "Let me just lock up."

    The paramedic nodded as he and his partner lifted the stretcher and headed for the ambulance. She quickly set the alarm and locked the caf��. She sat inside the ambulance. They drove to Angelwing Medical Hospital (AMH). He was rushed to the ER. She sat on the benches outside the ER, waiting.

    "I hope he''ll be okay," she clasped her hands over her head.

    It was strange how she was so worried about a complete stranger. She even paid his hospital bills, which was her whole week''s salary. When she saw him enter the caf��, she wanted to scream because of the crimson blood that had stained his hands and coloured his white shirt. Like most people, she was not a fan of blood, but she had to put her fear aside and help him. The doctor came out of the ER.

    "Doctor," she stood in front of him, a worried expression on her face, "How is he?"

    The doctor smiled and then scanned her, seeing her bloodstained clothes.

    "He is alive and well, thanks to you. We moved him to another room and will monitor him till he heals. Would you like to see him?"

    She shook her head ''no.''

    "I''m just glad he is alive," she smiled, "Thank you. I will leave him in your care and will take my leave now. I''m sure his family or guardian will be notified of the situation."

    With that, she walked out of the hospital and took a cab back to the caf�� to clean up the bloody scene.

 Chapter 74 - Quick Girls Trip To The Festival

    ''Let me just say thanks and leave,'' she thought, ''Who knows, maybe it is fate. Maybe the Goddess, Lumina, sent her to me to assist me with summoning the Silver Ocean.''

    She held her pink cotton candy, which was wrapped tightly in a plastic bag.

    "Thank you," she told the woman, who nodded enthusiastically, her face beaming with happiness for a reason Astoria did not know, "Well, we''ll take our leave now. Take care."

    With that, the werewolf lady watched as Astoria turned her back and walked away from her. They walked to an empty bench and sat down, placing their sweet snacks on the table.

    "Don''t you ladies think we bought too much candy?" Astoria asked them, staring at the candy-filled table.

    "Nonsense," Ai replied, dismissively waving her hand, "You can never have too much candy."

    "Uh-huh," Astoria said, not sounding convinced by Ai''s remark.

    Ai opened the plastic bag with the Fairy Rings in them. The Fairy Rings were basically like candy canes, except softer and not shaped like a cane, but like a ring. She took one Fairy Ring and gave it to Lara and took another, giving it to Astoria.

    "Thanks," Astoria and Lara said in unison.

    Astoria bit into the candy, and she almost choked on her saliva. She was in a coughing fit for a good few seconds while Ai and Lara stared at her, completely worried.

    "Are you alright, Nexi?" she heard Ai ask her.

    She nodded and lightly hit her chest.

    "Yes. The sweetness just caught me by surprise," she told them, licking her lips.

    "Sorry," Ai apologized in a sad tone, slumping her shoulders, "I forgot that this is your first time trying out Fairy Rings and forgot to warn you about the excessive sweetness."

    And Ai was right about the excessive sweetness. Fairy Rings were one of the sweetest candies in the world. Well, in this world, that is. Many children loved the candy for that reason, much to the dismay of their parents because too much sugar means their children would be overly hyper.

    "Don''t worry about it, Ai," she told the fox princess, "I like the sweetness. I just didn''t expect it to be at this level."

    And she did like the sweetness. After all, she had a sweet tooth ever since she first tasted chocolate ice cream when she was two years old. Since that day, she has loved eating candy and sweet flavored drinks and snacks.

    ''Ah,'' she came to realize, ''Eating this reminds me of fudge. The level of sweetness is almost the same except this here is sweeter.''

    Lara was absorbed in her Fairy Ring and did not pay attention to their conversation. When she had finished eating the candy, she opened her pink cotton candy and consumed it. A happy glint was in her eyes as the little fox hummed a tune while she ate her cotton candy.

    "Was the Fairy Ring delicious?" Astoria asked the little fox.

    "Yep!" Lara replied, giving her a toothy grin.

    "I''m glad you liked it," Ai added.

    They ate the rest of their candy while engaging in small talk. Ai spoke about how Lara would be sent to study magic at the kingdom''s private magic school, Yokore, the Academy of Magic.

    "My mother said so," Ai said, "They have already enrolled her, and she will start attending the academy tomorrow."

    Lara blushed and bent her head down. She had always heard of Yokore. It was an expensive academy with only the best wizards and witches. It was also known to have the best magic trainers. To think she would be attending such a prestigious academy. It all seemed too surreal.

    "Listen, Lara," Ai said, placing her hands on the table and resting her chin in them, "If anybody bullies you, tell big sis, alright?"

    Lara pressed her lips together as Ai pointed to herself. The little fox nodded. Ai grabbed the remainder of her pink cotton candy and stared at it.

    "I''ll make a potion which will turn them into frogs if they bully her," she chewed the cotton candy.

    "Frogs?" Astoria asked with a laugh, "That''s a bit..."

    "What?" Ai asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking, "Mean? Evil? Would you prefer I turn them into mice?"

    Astoria sighed.

    "I don''t know which is worse between the two."

    Ai laughed and pat Lara on her head.

    "Big sister Ai," she said, pointing at herself, "will look after you. You just work hard at the academy. Do your best and do not hesitate to ask for help, okay?"

    Lara stared at the fox princess wide-eyed. Princess Ai looked like a Goddess who was on her side. She was like her prince charming, except Ai was a princess and not a prince.

    "Yes, sister Ai!" the little fox said happily, bobbing her head.

    After a few minutes, they gathered the empty plastic bags and threw them in the nearby bin.

    "Now then," Ai said, placing her hands on her hips, "since we had our fill, let''s go play some games."

    "I love games!" Lara chimed in, spinning loosely.

    "Great! Let''s go!" Ai yelled, pumping her fist in the air.

    "Let''s go!" the little fox repeated, copying Ai''s hand motion.

    They began to walk side by side. Astoria watched them from afar and could not help but laugh. It was funny how quickly the two foxes had bonded, but she was glad this happened. This way, when she leaves, she will know that Lara has an older sister to look up to. A female figure she can count and rely on.

    "Ladies!" she yelled, chuckling, "Wait for me!"

    She ran to them, giving them a smile each. They found a variety of games one would find at an amusement park. She and Ai had played Balloon and Dart, a game where you throw the dart at the balloon to pop it. Ai was horrible at the game but was mesmerized by Astoria, who popped each one with great precision. Lara cheered her on.

    "Go, princess Nexi!" the little fox cheered, "Just one more balloon left."

    Astoria grabbed the dart and lifted her arm in the air. She closed one eye and stared at the red balloon, focussing. To her, the dart was like a bullet from a gun, and the balloon was her target. Once she set that idea, she could burst all the balloons.

    "Wow!" Ai and Lara exclaimed in unison, slack-jawed and unable to move.

    "You are amazing!" Lara complimented.

    "Where you an archer in your past life or something?" Ai asked her, clapping her hands in awe.

    Astoria gave a nervous laugh and ran her hands through her hair.

    "Me? An archer in my past life?" she asked rhetorically, "Of course not! No way."

    She nervously laughed again and cleared her throat. Ai crossed her arms and smiled.

    ''I was a police officer,'' she thought, ''Well, I still am...I think.''

    "Well, I think you were," the fox princess stated, "Either that or you just unlocked a hidden skill you never knew you had."

    Astoria nodded and nervously smiled.

    "Yeah, I think it''s the latter."

    They got a prize: a light blue teddy bear with a red heart on its chest. Astoria grabbed it and knelt, holding it out for Lara.

    "Here you go, little fox," Lara heard her say, ushering for her to take the toy.

    "B-but you won it," Lara stammered, "A-are you s-sure I can have it?"

    The little fox''s eyes looked hopeful, and Astoria nodded.

    "Yeah, you can have it," she placed it in Lara''s arms, "Something to remember me by whenever you miss me."

    Lara stared at the blue teddy bear and hugged it tightly, her lips curling into a smile.

    "Thank you," she told Astoria, giving her a quick hug.

    "Aww," they heard Ai squeal, "You two are so sweet."

    Astoria smiled, and they went to play a few more games. Checking the time, it was now around 2:30 PM. They had to head back to the palace to pack her stuff and get ready to leave. She still couldn''t believe that she had to go back to that wretched palace in Ashen, where she was unwanted by the king and his two children. She could just picture the siblings'' disgusted faces when they would see her come back. Their faces would probably spell out, ''Oh, she is back. Great.''

    ''What a wanted lady I am,'' she thought sarcastically as she sat in the carriage that was heading back to the palace.

    "I wish you could stay for longer," she heard Ai say, causing her to look up at her.

    "Mhm," Lara agreed, her body drooping from sadness at the thought of her saviour leaving her, "We didn''t even get to spend enough time together."

    Astoria smiled and held each of their hands in hers, leaning forward.

    "I''ll be back before you know," she assured them, and they nodded.

    "After all," she leaned back and crossed her arms with a slight close-lipped smile, "My fianc�� is here."

 Chapter 75 - Until We Meet Again

    "After all," she leaned back and crossed her arms with a slight close-lipped smile, "My fianc�� is here."

    Her eyes widened in surprise. She could not believe that such a statement came out of her own mouth. Well, it was not like she was lying or wrong. Prince Yashiro was Nexi''s fianc�� and hers for the time being, and she would be here again to meet him when it was time for the wedding preparations.

    ''When are the wedding preparations, anyway?'' she wondered, pressing her lips together.

    She hoped that she would have solved her transmigration dilemma by the time the wedding preparations began. She would have eliminated the Dark Lord and prevented him and his evil army from taking over and destroying this world. Once that mission was done, she would transmigrate back to her real body and world before Nexi had to say her, "I do," to the fox prince.

    She also hoped that she actually had a body to go back into. After all, she does not know if her body was found by the police or someone. She does not know if her body is lying in a hospital bed or the morgue. It was scary to even think about it, but she prayed that she was lying in a hospital bed, even if it meant she was in a coma. To her, it was way better than being dead.

    "Of course," she heard Ai say cheerily, "You will officially be part of my family soon. I cannot wait!"

    Astoria awkwardly smiled and nodded.

    "When is the wedding, by the way?" she asked the fox princess, who shrugged.

    "We have not set the date yet," Ai replied, "but you and my brother have only known each other for a few months. Because of your busy schedules, my father and yours decided to wait for another three to four months before beginning the wedding preparations."

    Astoria nodded, almost letting out a breath of relief. Three to four months was reasonable. It was not great, but it was a reasonable enough time frame for her to quickly save this world and disappear before the wedding commenced.

    ''I have to start this mission as soon as I arrive back in Ashen,'' she bit her bottom lip, ''The sooner I start, the better it will be for not just myself, but for everyone too.''

    "Princess Nexi will marry prince Yashiro?" she and Ai heard Lara ask.

    "That is correct," Ai said, beaming, "She is gonna be part of our family soon. My big brother will be a married man after a few months."

    "That''s amazing!" Lara exclaimed, her eyes holding a glint of awe and excitement.

    ''I wish I could say it is,'' thought Astoria as she forced a smile, ''but it is not. It''s just complicated.''

    "Oh!" Ai exclaimed, "We are here."

    They had arrived at the palace, and when they entered the palace, they all went up to Astoria''s room to help her pack.

    "You ladies do not have to come with me," she told them, "I do not have that much to pack anyway since I only brought my suitcase."

    "We know," Ai said with a smile, exchanging glances with Lara, "We just wanna spend some more time with you, that is all."

    Lara nodded.

    "We will not stand in your way or bother you," the little fox added as they walked up the stairs and to the bedroom.

    Astoria sighed and nodded.

    "Okay then," she opened the bedroom door and stepped inside.

    Ai and Lara followed behind her. As Lara had said earlier, they  did not bother her. They just sat on the large bed as they watched her pack some of the bathroom amenities she had left in the bathroom for easy access. She had now finished packing her belongings in the suitcase.

    "All done," she told them, and they got up from the bed.

    Minutes later, when it was almost 4 PM, they heard the voices of the king and queen.

    ''Looks like they are back,'' she smiled as Ai turned the canvas around.

    She and Lara were in Ai''s art room, and Ai was painting a portrait of her to take home. Lara was sitting in a corner and drawing flowers.

    "What do you think?" she heard Ai ask her, pointing at her portrait.

    "I think you are like the female version of Leonardo da Vinci," Astoria replied to Ai, clapping her hands in satisfaction at her portrait.

    Ai shrugged, looking confused.

    "I have no idea who that Leonardo person is," the fox princess said, then smiled, "but I have a feeling he is a great artist, so thank you."

    "He was. I love my portrait," Astoria stated, standing up and giving the fox princess a thumbs up, "Lara, come look at this."

    The little fox stood up from where she was and walked towards them. She stood next to Astoria and stared at the painting of the princess with widened eyes.

    "It is amazing," the little fox complimented.

    "Mhm mhm," Astoria agreed, nodding her head.

    There was a sudden knock on the door, causing all of them to turn their heads to it. Ai placed the paintbrush she held in her hand on the table. She opened the door and found one of the butlers standing outside with his head bowed.

    "I''m sorry to disturb you, your highness," the butler stated, his head still bowed, "but your father and mother have told me to inform princess Nexi that her chauffeur has arrived."

    "Aww, it is time for her to leave already?" Ai pouted and sighed.

    "Okay. We will be right there," she dismissed the butler.

    Astoria smiled at her.

    "Why don''t you go grab your suitcase?" Ai told her, "Lara will help me wrap this portrait nicely for you, and then we will meet you in the throne room."

    Astoria nodded and walked out of the room and to her bedroom. When she was grabbing her suitcase, the bedroom door opened, and prince Yashiro had stepped inside.

    "Prince Yashiro? You are done with your meeting?" she asked him, pulling the suitcase''s handle upwards.

    He nodded and walked to her. He stared at the suitcase.

    "Let me help you with that," he said, holding the suitcase''s handle.

    "Ah, thanks."

    "After you," he gestured for the door, and she walked out.

    He followed behind her and closed the door. They walked to the throne room in silence, and she found everyone gathered there. The king and queen stood up from their seats and walked towards her. They gave her a hug simultaneously, causing her eyes to widen.

    "We were so glad you could join us during this festival period," they told her as they began to walk outside to where her ride home was.

    "Time really flew by," prince Yoshito said as he hugged her, "Take care of yourself until we meet again."

    She nodded and gave him a smile. "You too."

    The king and queen held each other''s hands and watched as Ai gave her the portrait.

    "Something to remember me by," Ai said as Astoria held the portrait in her hands, "Come back soon."

    "Thanks, Ai," she told the fox princess.

    Lara had grabbed the teddy bear Astoria had won for her at the festival. The little fox tilted her head up, staring at her.

    "I can''t believe you are leaving so soon," Lara squeezed her teddy bear, her shoulders slumped, "I will miss you."

    Astoria smiled at her.

    "Don''t worry," she told Lara, "I promise to be back sooner than you think."

    Lara smiled, nodding happily at the thought. Astoria smiled at everyone.

    "Thank you so much for your hospitality," she told them, "I had a great time. I will be back soon."

    With that, she bowed at them, and they waved her goodbye as she walked to the car with prince Yashiro. The fox prince opened the car door for her, and the chauffeur took her suitcase, carefully placing it in the boot.

    Prince Yashiro took the portrait, walked to the other side of the car, and placed it on the seat. He then closed that door and walked towards her, standing in front of her. She stared up at him, not knowing exactly what to say.

    "Well," they both said in unison.

    They chuckled.

    "You go first," she told him, pressing her lips together.

    "Um, right. Thanks for your help with the whole Saxhish mission," he told her, "I was able to prevent more deaths thanks to you."

    She smiled and nodded.

    "And thank you too," she said, playing with her hair, "You know, for agreeing to help me with this whole Dark Lord thing."

    He smiled and nodded too. There was silence in the air, and before she knew it, he had pulled her closer to him, running his knuckle down her cheek. He stared into her mesmerizing cobalt eyes and brushed his lips with hers, giving her a slow, soft kiss.. Before she could react, he pulled his face away and hugged her.

 Chapter 76 - The Woman Inside Me

    He smiled and nodded too. There was silence in the air, and before she knew it, he had pulled her closer to him, running his knuckle down her cheek. He stared into her mesmerizing cobalt eyes and brushed his lips with hers, giving her a slow, soft kiss. Before she could react, he pulled his face away and hugged her.

    "I will see you next weekend," he whispered in her ear, causing her to shudder.

    "Next weekend?" she questioned him, her eyebrows raised.

    "Mhm," he said, his hands wrapped around her waist, "You know, for the banquet?"

    "What banquet?" she asked him with a surprised look on her face.

    He saw that she was genuinely confused.

    "I guess you have been so busy that you forgot there will be a banquet in your kingdom this coming weekend," he told her, "Different royals will be there."

    "Oh," she parted her lips slightly, "Yeah, I forgot."

    "That is also where we will announce our engagement," he added, letting go of her.

    She blinked in surprise.

    "Are you telling me that no one knows about our engagement?" she asked him, tilting her head to the side.

    He nodded.

    "Only our families know since it was not a sure thing at first," he clasped his hands behind his body, "But now our upcoming marriage is a sure thing."

    She crossed her arms, looking amused.

    "And what makes you so sure that our upcoming marriage is a sure thing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

    He leaned his head towards her, causing her to lean hers back. Neither moved from their standing position as their heads were leaning forward and backward.

    "Hmm? What are they talking about for so long?" Ai asked her brother, prince Yoshito, as they watched the couple.

    Prince Yoshito shrugged as he watched his older brother talk to his fianc��.

    "Beats me. Couple stuff? I don''t know."

    Prince Yashiro''s lips curled into a mischievous smile as his gray eyes examined his fianc��''s face. His eyes darted from her cobalt-coloured eyes to her visible freckles and landed on her soft, pink lips. Her face began to flush red as she noticed where his eyes were glued to, so she pressed her lips together as if scared he would suddenly kiss her again. He snapped out of his daze because of her action.

    He leaned back and unclasped his arms, lifting his hand and pointing his finger at his heart and then hers. She stared at him, confused about why he was pointing at her heart. Her eyes darted from his pointed finger and to his face.

    "Why are you pointing at my heart?" she asked him, narrow-eyed.

    ''Well,'' she thought with a shrug, ''It is not my heart. It is Nexi''s, but it belongs to her and me in the meantime. So why are you pointing at our heart?''

    "You asked me what makes me so sure that our upcoming marriage is a sure thing," he replied, lifting his chin and leaning his head back.

    She stared down at her heart and then looked at him.

    "And that answer is my heart?" she asked to which he nodded.

    "Our hearts," he said, giving her a soft smile, "They are like two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. I''m never going to let you go."

    She blushed at his declaration.

    ''There you have it, Nexi,'' she thought, internally squealing, ''Your fianc�� is so cheesy but adamant that you guys are meant to be together.''

    "I see," was all she could say.

    I mean, how was she supposed to reply to such a bold affirmation? Besides, this statement was aimed at princess Nexi, not her. It was not like she could just disagree with him, so she smiled and nodded.

    "If you say so, prince Yashiro," she smiled awkwardly at him and then turned to face his family, who was watching them.

    "Goodbye, everyone. Thank you for everything. Until we meet again."

    She waved at them and stepped inside the car. She sat down, placing her entwined hands on her lap. Prince Yashiro closed her door, her window slightly open.

    "Bye, Nexi!" Ai yelled, waving frantically.

    "Bye, princess Nexi!" Lara yelled, clutching her blue teddy bear tightly, "Come back soon!"

    Prince Yashiro stared at the two foxes and smiled. He then tapped on her window, causing her to open it further. She waved at Ai and Lara, feeling a bit reluctant to leave.

    "Take care of yourself, princess," she heard prince Yashiro tell her.

    She stopped waving at the two foxes and nodded at the fox prince.

    "You too," she said, "Do not push yourself too hard as you still need to heal."

    He nodded and quickly popped his head through the window to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. He pulled away, and she covered her cheek, her face feeling hot at the sudden kiss she did not expect to receive.

    "Bye," he playfully winked at her.

    With that, the chauffeur began to drive out the palace, and she could hear his family shouting goodbye as she left. Her hand was still covering the spot where he kissed her, and she sighed. Nexi''s heart felt like it was going to burst into a million pieces.

    "He sure knows how to catch us surprise, right Nexi?" she mumbled to herself as she splayed her fingers, covering her eyes with one hand.

    ''Calm down, Nexi''s heart,'' she demanded, slowly breathing in and out to calm the princess'' heart.

    At this point, she thought that princess Nexi must really like the guy if even the slightest touch from him drove her heart wild like this. Not that she blamed her, the fox prince was handsome, charming, and intelligent. He was a good kisser. No, scratch that. He was a great kisser. His kisses were hot and breathtaking.

    No wonder princess Nexi was head over heels in love with him. At least, that was what Astoria thought about the princess. As they drove back to the kingdom of Ashen, she fell asleep along the way. She almost groaned loudly when she realized that they had gone past the palace''s grand entrance and the draw bridge when she woke up from her nap.

    The car stopped in front of the palace. The chauffeur quickly stepped out to open her side of the door. She thanked him and, although not wanting to step foot out the car, stepped out, her feet touching the hardened soil beneath her. The chauffeur opened the boot and took out her suitcase and portrait upon closing her door.

    "I''ll take that to my room," she told the chauffeur, taking the portrait from his hands and holding her suitcase.

    "No, your highness," the chauffeur insisted, "Let me help you."

    She smiled at him and shook her head, ''no.''

    "I will be alright," she declared, "You go and park the car. Get some rest. Thanks for driving me back here safely."

    With that, she walked away, heading to her room. The chauffeur stood where he was for a good few seconds, feeling baffled. It was clear that the princess struggled to pull her heavy suitcase and carry the portrait simultaneously without dropping it. Yet, she told him to go rest. He sighed and went to park the car.

    "Ah," she mumbled, "Seems like no one is here to see me, not that I care anyway. Please, can I not bump into anyone if it is not Keya?"

    She walked past the palace servants, and they bowed and greeted her. Walking past the hallway, she heard the sounds of footsteps coming in her direction.

    "No," she heard a familiar voice say, "Do not be stupid!"

    The voice belonged to Naida. Astoria groaned.

    "I will make sure to be the best dressed," she told the person, whose voice Astoria could not hear, "I know I shouldn''t outshine my dear little sister, but I do not care."

    Astoria sighed. She knew Naida''s conversation was about the banquet. So, she was planning to outshine her little sister?

    "Oh," she heard Naida say as they came into contact, "You are back?"

    She almost rolled her eyes at the question, and Naida quickly put her cellphone in her bag.

    Naida hoped that Astoria did not hear what she had told her friend over the phone about outshining her.

    "Yes," she clutched her suitcase tightly.

    She began to walk away, not wanting to speak to the evil older sister any longer.

    "How is prince Yashiro?" Naida asked, causing her to stop in her tracks.

    ''Why do you care?'' she wondered, clicking her tongue in annoyance.

    "Did you just click your tongue at me!?" Naida asked, glaring at her.

    She had no time for this conversation, nor was she in the mood. She walked away from Naida and headed for Nexi''s bedroom. When she stepped inside the bedroom, she placed the portrait in an empty corner of the room and threw herself on her bed. She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes, drifting off to dreamland.. Half an hour later, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

 Chapter 77 - Twill Be A Treacherous Mission

    She had no time for this conversation, nor was she in the mood. She walked away from Naida and headed for Nexi''s bedroom. When she stepped inside the bedroom, she placed the portrait in an empty corner of the room and threw herself on her bed. She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes, drifting off to dreamland. Half an hour later, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

    "Nexi?" she heard Keya''s voice call out, "Are you in here?"

    Her eyes fluttered open, and she stood up, walking to open the door. She jumped on the elf upon seeing her, giving her a big affectionate hug. This caught the green-haired elf by surprise.

    "Oh, Keya!" Astoria mumbled in the elf''s neck, "I missed you so so much."

    Keya chuckled, patting her back.

    "We have only been apart for two nights, and you already missed me this much?" the elf asked, slightly amused.

    She nodded at the elf''s question.

    "Of course," she pulled away to stare at the precious servant elf, "Don''t you know that you are my soulmate?"

    Keya softly chuckled and sighed.

    "Okay, okay," the elf said, shaking her head, "If you say so."

    "Come on in," she told the elf, stepping out the way.

    The elf stepped inside her room, and she closed the door. The elf ushered for her to sit by her dresser. Astoria, confused, did as she was told and sat down on the seat in front of her dresser. Keya pulled out a hairbrush from the closet and brushed Astoria''s hair.

    "So," she heard the elf say, "Tell me, how was your trip?"

    Astoria closed her eyes as she felt relaxed while Keya brushed her hair in a slow, calming, and relaxing manner.

    "I was right when I told you that I could not shake the feeling that something was wrong," she told the elf.

    Keya raised an eyebrow.

    "Really? Did something bad happen?" she asked, a worried tone in her voice.

    The elf saw the princess nod, and she stopped brushing her hair. This caused Astoria to open her eyes and stare at the elf''s reflection in the mirror.

    "Oh dear," she heard the elf say, "What happened? You are not hurt, are you?"

    She shook her head, ''no.''

    "Thankfully I was not," she said, sighing, "However, I was caught by some spider woman who poisoned me with venom-"

    "What?" Keya gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

    The elf''s eyes widened in shock.

    "Yashiro''s royal doctor healed me, so I am okay," she shrugged, "I also found out some interesting information."

    Keya removed her hand from her mouth.

    "What interesting information?" she asked, setting the brush down on the top of the dresser.

    Astoria turned around and crossed her arms, leaning back on her chair.

    "Apparently, there is a bounty on my head," she bit her lip.

    "A bounty?" Keya asked in surprise, "A bounty by who? Why?"

    "The Dark Lord," she told the green-haired elf, "He is looking for me and wants me dead or alive. I was told that my body is the perfect vessel for him as his current body is weak."

    Keya bit her lip, deep in thought. She clasped her hands behind her body, pacing back and forth in front of Astoria.

    "This is bad," Keya kept repeating, "This is really bad."

    Astoria nodded.

    "It is...Which is why I have a plan," hearing the princess'' words, Keya stopped in her tracks.

    "A plan?" she asked Astoria, who nodded.

    "The Goddess, Lumina, visited me in my dream and told me that I have to find the Dark Lord and destroy him," she began to explain to the elf, who looked mortified by what she said.

    "She said the Dark Lord is preparing an evil army to rule over the world," she continued, "He is going to summon demons and the sort. I am the only one who can stop him. Correction, the Silver Ocean is the only thing that can stop him."

    The elf kneeled in front of her and held her hands.

    "But you cannot even summon it," the elf told her, her hands were trembling, "Besides, it is way too dangerous for you to find the Dark Lord. I just cannot let you do that."

    She nodded at the elf.

    "I know it is dangerous," she shook her head, "Which is why I need your help. I need you to come with me to find the Dark Lord."

    "You want me to accompany you?" the elf asked.

    She nodded and sighed.

    "Keya, the Dark Lord..." Astoria paused, "His existence does not just affect me, but you and everyone else. If I do not stop him, he will bring chaos to this world. Creatures and people...The innocent will die."

    Keya stood up and wrapped her arms around herself.

    "I know that Nexi," she told her, "I know that very well, but what can the two of us do? My magic barely hurt him that day he appeared in front of us."

    "Which is why," Astoria stood up and held the elf''s hands, "I will ask for help. I already asked prince Yashiro to accompany me, and he agreed."

    "He did?" she asked, her tone hinting that she was genuinely surprised.

    Astoria nodded.

    "Although just the three of us traveling on this treacherous journey will not be enough," Astoria bit her lip.

    "Who else could you ask who is willing to risk their life?" Keya softly asked, "Because, Nexi, this really is risking our lives. We could die..."

    Of course, she knew that they could die. They were going to face off against demons from Hades. They will have to fight evil forces who are more powerful than them, but she was not going to give up. She would make sure that everyone survived no matter what. She would not allow the Dark Lord to kill any of her companions.

    "Do not worry about that for now," she told the elf, "I''ll think of who else to ask."

    Keya shook her head. Astoria could clearly see that the elf did not like the idea of finding the Dark Lord, and she did not blame her. It really was scary for her because if she died, she would really die this time. Her soul would not swap into another body. She would never be able to go back to her world, to her old body, and to her career, which she dearly missed.

    "Anyway," she sighed, "I just remembered that I have an upcoming assignment for Magic History."

    "Oh?" Keya smiled a bit, "Is it a quest or individual assignment?"

    "I do not know," she replied, "Mr. Shawix..."

    She paused and nodded.

    "Yeah, Mr. Shawix is his name. He will tell us this week whether it''s a quest or not. Laurelai told me she hopes that it is a quest."

    Keya laughed at the remark about Laurelai.

    "Yeah," the elf said, nodding, "That is so like Laurelai. Her father is so strict on her since she is the only child, so he barely allows her to travel to places."

    "Ah, I see," Astoria said, nodding, "Is it because she is the only heir to the Summer Court?''

    The elf nodded, and she understood.

    "Then I understand why he is strict," she told the elf.

    She threw herself on the bed.

    "Oh! I just remembered that I will be going to East C-coril?" she tried to remember the name of the place.

    "East Corrilt?" Keya corrected her.

    "Ah, yes," Astoria nodded, "I''ll be going there for my Riddle Language Studies class. It is part of my assignment to develop my riddle skills."

    Keya nodded.

    "Yes. Your father received the indemnity forms for him to sign. The trip will be from Tuesday to Thursday."

    "Huh?" Astoria raised her eyebrows in surprise, "What about my other classes? Won''t I miss them?"

    "Exemption," the elf simply said.

    Astoria pressed her lips together. She thought it was pretty cool that the Riddle Language Studies students would be exempt from their other classes.

    "I knew it," she mumbled, "Schools here are definitely different from those in my world."

    "What was that?" Keya asked, "I could not hear you."

    "Oh, it is nothing," she sighed, "Will I be safe from the Dark Lord though, I wonder?"

    That was one of her biggest fears right now. What if he attacked her classmates and her while on the trip?

    "The king offered to send two royal guards to accompany and protect you," the elf informed her.

    She internally groaned because she knew their presence would not ease her mind. They were not strong enough to protect her and her classmates.

    "Plus," she heard the elf add, "Your teacher, Miss Yalvina, is actually quite powerful, so don''t worry."

    She nodded, not sure if she should feel relieved that her teacher is strong as she was unsure if her strength would be enough for her to protect her students.

    ''Well,'' she thought, ''I will just put my faith in her for a bit.. I also need to sharpen my skills and familiarise myself with the magic leather book that the king gave me.''

 Chapter 78 - SPECIAL CHAPTER

    (This chapter is based obefore Astoria transmigrated and will focus on her catching a drug dealer who is a suspect in the murder of a nineteen year old boy. This is aimed for you to see how she goes about cracking a case and arresting a criminal. Enjoy!)

    "Okay. Shoot!" Astoria said as she sat in the police station''s cafeteria with Officer Stan sitting opposite her.

    He opened his notebook. They were currently investigating a murder case and the suspect was a supposed drug dealer.

    "According to a source that wishes to remain anonymous," he read the notes in his notebook, "he likes to go to the Misty Pear Bar every Tuesday and Thursday."

    She opened the cover of a box stacked with papers. She picked out one paper. It was the suspect''s personal information.

    "He is in his 30''s and used to work for New Corporate Financial Group, a bank firm," she stared at Officer Stan, "But he was fired three months ago because of misconduct."

    "Any family?" Officer Stan asked and she nodded.

    "A wife and ten year old boy," she bit her lip.

    She carried on reading the suspect''s other information.

    "It says here that he was charged for shoplifting, but the owner of the shop later dropped the charges," she pressed her lips together and looked at Officer Stan who was deep in thought.

    "Do you think he may have threatened the owner?" she asked him.

    "It is possible," Officer Stan sighed, "Now, back to Misty Pear Bar."

    "Oh, right," she put the paper on the table.

    "He goes there at around 6 PM and the time right now," he looked at his watch, "Is 4 PM so we should start driving."

    She groaned.

    "It''s a one hour drive to Arcadia," she sighed as they stood up.

    The Misty Pear Bar was located in another city in Arcadia. The only reason the case was not being solved there was because the station was packed with multiple cases and all officers were occupied. And so the station needed help. That was how the case was handed to Astoria and her partner, Officer Stan.

    "You ready to go undercover?" he asked her.

    She chuckled as they stepped into her car.

    "You know me," she started the engine, "I am always ready."

    They arrived in Arcadia at quarter past five as they had to stop at a store to buy undercover clothes and had to face traffic along the way. When they stepped outside of the car, they were no longer Astoria or Officer Stan. They were fully disguised. She had worn an elegant looking dress and high heels with her hair down. He had worn a simple, stylish suit and had on a fake moustache.

    "Gotta love the thrift shop," she told him as she scanned their clothes, "Who knew we would find such clothes for a cheap price?"

    Officer Stan chuckled, nodded, and smiled.

    "You ready to do this?" she asked him.

    His smile turned mischievous.

    "Yeah," he said, "Let''s kick some butt."

    They stood outside the bar. From the outside it looked enchanting and cozy. Softwood and hardwooden tree trunks made up most of the building''s outer structure. It was tough to see through the small, curtained windows, but the clinking of beer glasses from within can be heard outside. As they entered the bar through the old, hardwooden door, they were welcomed by the feelings of comfort and laughing voices. This was the Misty Pear Bar.

    When they sat by the counter, the bartender was swamped in work, but still managed to welcome them with a smile. It was as engaging inside as it was on the outside. Rounded, wooden beams support the upper floor and the light fixtures attached to them. The walls are loaded with hundreds of memorabilia, all signed and most likely donated by customers. The tavern itself is packed. Tourists seem to be the primary clientele here, which often means great company. Several long tables are occupied by locals, travellers, foreigners and anybody else who wishes to join.

    The other, smaller tables are also occupied by people who seem to be close with the owner, though they happily welcome others among their midst. Even most of the stools at the bar are occupied, though nobody seems to mind more company. She did hear rumors about this bar. Supposedly, it was famous for something, but she could not remember what for. However, judging by the angelic voice who just started singing, it must be famous for this singer. She managed to find a seat in front of the singer and prepare for what will undoubtedbly be a busy evening.

    "That is our source," she whispered to Officer Stan who sat next to her.

    He turned to her, his eyebrows raised.

    "What? Are you sure?" he asked, staring at the singer.

    She nodded.

    "My gut tells me so and she seems to be looking for someone as she is singing," she told him and looked around.

    "You watch her and I will watch the door," she instructed Officer Stan, "As soon as her face lights up, tell me because her eyes are glued to the entrance now."

    Officer Stan nodded and kept his gaze fixed on the singer who seemed to be in her early twenties. She wore a long red dress, and her blonde hair was all curled up. She looked like Marilyn Monroe. That was how beautiful she was.

    Customers eyes were glued to her as they were mesmerised by her voice. Astoria watched as multiple people came through the entrance, but the man she was looking for still had not arrived.

    "Where are you, big guy?" she mumbled, biting her lip.

    About ten minutes passed and the singer as now singing a new song. Just then, the suspect came through the door.

    "Her face!" Officer Stan exclaimed, nudging Astoria.

    "Our guy is here," she told him.

    "But why did she give us information about him that could potentially cause him to go to jail when it looks like she is madly in love with him?" Officer Stan asked.

    "I do not know," she replied, shrugging, "A guilty conscience maybe? Besides, the person that died was a child who still had a whole life ahead of him."

    "Guess that makes sense," Officer Stan shrugged.

    The suspect sat at the back and watched the singer sing. She could tell that he was listing over her as his posture remained the same throughout the whole song the singer sang. When the song was over, the singer bowed and everyone clapped their hands. She left the stage and the suspect got up, walking to the backstage.

    "Let''s go," Astoria ushered Officer Stan.

    They stood up and followed closely behind the suspect. They later found him and the singer at the back alley of the bar having a deep make out session.

    "Hate to break up this lovely moment," she said, standing with her arms crossed, "But I need to have a word with you Mr. Yorkshire."

    The suspect suddenly pushed the singer and ran. Astoria sighed and nodded at Officer Stan.

    "We got a runner," she told him, "His house is near here so if my gut instinct is right, the man is dumb and will head to his house to get rid of the weapon he used for his crime."

    "How are you so sure?" Officer Stan asked her, his eyebrows raised.

    She clapped her hands.

    "My gut is never wrong. Let''s go."

    They stood outside the suspect''s house and, boy, was it a house! From the outside this house looks lavish. It has been built with spruce wood and has sandstone decorations. Small, octagon windows brighten up the house and have been added to the house in a fairly symmetrical pattern. The house is equipped with a small kitchen and two modern bathrooms, it also has a small living room, five bedrooms, a large dining room, a library and a grand garage.

    The building is shaped like a short U. The two extensions are linked by glass overhanging panels. The second floor is the same size as the first, which has been built exactly on top of the floor below it. This floor has roughly the same style as the floor below.

    The roof is low and v-shaped and is covered with red ceramic tiles. Two small chimneys poke out the center of the roof. Several long, thin windows let in plenty of light to the rooms below the roof. The house itself is surrounded by a well kept garden. Grass, flower patches and trees have been placed in a stylish way.)

    (The pain flared once more and every muscle in their body tensed up. Straining to keep standing they waited for the pain to subside once again, as it has done hundreds of times before. An overwhelming feeling of dread took over and for a moment they thought the pain would only get worse and worse. For a second they considered listening to their body which was telling them to stop, to just give up and drop to the floor.

    They massaged their temples and for a moment tried to block out all the pain in order to press onward. On any other day they probably would''ve gone to bed and rested to make sure they''d heal well and fast, but not today.. Today was a day of pushing the limits.)

 Chapter 79 - Welcome To East Corrilt

    "Has everyone given their belongings to the airship workers?" Miss Yalvina asked, looking around at her students, who nodded.

    Astoria could not believe they would ride what looked like an airship to East Corrilt. The only difference was that this airship was powered by magic and had see-through windows on either side of the airship. So one could see the beautiful sunrise and sunset and the land below.

    "I am so, so excited," Laurelai stood by her side, grinning from ear to ear.

    She smiled and turned to the Summer Court fairy princess.

    "Are you excited because you get to improve your riddle skills or because you get to skip other classes?" she raised her eyebrow at the fairy.

    Laurelai smiled mischievously.

    "Both?" the fairy replied, her voice cracked.

    Astoria laughed and shook her head.

    "If you say so, Summer Court princess," she teased her.

    They both laughed.

    "Hi Davitt," the red, short-haired fairy greeted the class president who was walking past them.

    He bowed at them and smiled. The fairy''s light green eyes lit up, and she looked at Astoria, who gave her a ''what was that?'' look.

    "You like him, don''t you?" Astoria whispered in her ear.

    Her small cute face flushed red, and she shook her head, denying what was actually true.

    "Don''t be silly," the fairy said, crossing her arms and looking away from Astoria, "How can I like a gargoyle?"

    Astoria sighed and held back a chuckle.

    "And," she said to the fairy, while students began to board the airship, "what''s is wrong with liking a gargoyle?"

    The fairy pressed her lips together and said nothing for a few seconds. She then started fidgeting in nervousness.

    "Oh!" she exclaimed, changing the subject and directing Astoria''s attention to the airship, "Seems like we have to board the airship. Let''s go!"

    The fairy ran past her, and Astoria chuckled, a smile on her face.

    "Someone''s in a good mood," a voice she knew and hated said.

    She did not have to turn around to see that the voice belonged to Misty, the ghost student in her class. She ignored her and ran to Laurelai''s side. Misty clicked her tongue in annoyance.

    ''She dare ignore me?'' the ghost asked, furious, ''Seems like she has gotten bolder. I''ll teach her a lesson during this trip.''

    East Corrilt was one of the city districts of the Ashen kingdom. And, like Laurelai had mentioned earlier, it was filled with hyacinth flowers. These flowers were the city''s main attraction. The city was also home to the anthousai. These are flower nymphs who are known to have hair that resembles hyacinth flowers. Anthousai are nymphs and minor goddesses who associate and preside themselves with flowers and plants life.

    Astoria had read that the city of East Corrilt was built amidst the flora of a mighty forest known as Heavenly Spruce Forest. It was indeed a modest urban phenomenon. Its wonder is matched by the backdrop of flower fields which have helped shape the city''s beauty. The city magically has its own climate, bringing great importance because the climate helps support plant fertility and life. East Corrilt was also influential when it came to architectural designs, as the vast majority of buildings were designed with shapes and elements found in nature.

    The skyline is growing with stylish, pretty houses, and there is no place on earth with anything like this. Education in riddle language and skills is superb in the city. This has attracted a lot of attention and is the reason why schools and academies from all over the world send their students on trips for their Riddle Language Studies classes. Students would be able to develop their riddle skills in a fun way through a riddle race all over the city.

    A few new cultures have left their mark not just on the city''s development but also on its identity. Hundreds of take-outs, sandwich bars, and restaurants offer a plethora of culinary choices, and those who feel hungry for something else can enjoy musea, libraries, aerobics, or one of the many other recreational venues.

    The city is known to have lots of fun recreational areas such as parks, amusement parks, playgrounds, a beach, picnic areas, and swimming pools. These were places Laurelai was looking forward to going and having fun. She had been to East Corrilt once when she was ten. She had gone with her father because they needed help reviving a magical plant that would cure one of the fairy knights.

    "Wow!" the fairy exclaimed as the airship took off, "It''s been ages since I went on an airship ride."

    They walked to one of the seats which were prepared for the students. Miss Yalvina ushered the students to take a seat as she stood in the front. Students took to their seats and chatted excitedly. She clapped her hands, and the students fell silent.

    "Okay," she said to them, opening what looked like a register, "I will take attendance. When I call your name, please come to the front and give me your signed indemnity forms."

    Miss Yalvina took the attendance, and students gave her their signed indemnity forms.

    "Looks like only two students could not make it," she told the class, "But that is alright. I will give them a separate assignment to do so they do not have to stress."

    Astoria was looking around the airship from her seat.

    ''Keya told me that I would be accompanied by five royal guards. However,'' she bit her lip as she continued to scan the area, ''I do not see them. They also did not accompany me when I left the palace. So, where are they? Was it a lie? Or maybe they are in disguise?''

    "You hear that Nexi?" the fairy shook her hand.

    "Huh?" she was not paying attention as her mind was focused on finding the guards.

    "Miss Yalvina said we will be staying at the Illustrious Palms Hotel," the fairy told her, her light green eyes showing excitement.

    Astoria looked at her, confused.

    "Judging from your not-so-excited face," the fairy said, crossing her arms, "I can tell you have never been there."

    "Is it a great hotel?" she asked the fairy, who nodded.

    "Yeah! The hotel offers not just rooms, but houses too. I think we will be living in a whole house since that will be cheaper than booking multiple rooms."

    And lo and behold, the fairy was right. Miss Yalvina had booked a whole house for the two nights. They were all standing in front of the house with their eyes widened and mouths agape. The house was way too extravagant. Astoria looked around to see if she could spot Nexi''s royal guards, but still nothing. She looked at the massive house in front of her.

    From the outside, this house looks posh and extravagant. It was a two-story house. It has been built with brownstones and has red pine wooden decorations. Short, expansive windows allow enough light to enter the home and have been added to the house in a primarily symmetric way. The house is equipped with an elegant kitchen and two modern bathrooms. It also has a small living room, four bedrooms, a large dining area, a study, and a large basement.

    The building is fairly rounded in shape. The house is half surrounded by glass overhanging panels. The second floor was bigger than the first, which creates a stylish overhang on one side of the house. This floor has a different style than the floor below. The roof is high and rounded and is covered with redwood shingles. Two small chimneys sit at the side of the house. Large, skylight windows let in plenty of light to the rooms below the roof.

    The house itself is surrounded by a well-kept garden, with a grass field and flower patches at the edges of the garden. A luxurious bed of grass is accompanied by joined hedges and bushes. Several solid trees stand in the back left, their leaves reach for the sky, ever trying to reach higher and higher. The flower beds form a miniature world of their own, full of mysteries and wonder; they''re rich in species.

    The hedges and bushes reach 1.5m/5ft high, but they will grow at least twice as large if left to their own. Marble slabs lie here and there, almost taking people by the hand to show them the best sights. Grass, roots, and vines keep each other in line but are hungry for more land to expand. The trees and alders, have stood there for countless years since the hotel was created. They are generally the biggest eye-catchers of the entire garden. The flower beds shouldn''t be ignored, and the hedges and bushes do their best to take some of the attention, but the focus is simply on the alders.

    "I feel like staying here forever!" the fairy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air as she jumped on her bed in the room she was assigned to with Astoria.

 Chapter 80 - Learning About The City Of Riddle Races

    "I feel like staying here forever!" the fairy exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air as she jumped on her bed in the room she was assigned to with Astoria.

    Astoria nodded. The bed was so soft that it felt like one was floating on clouds or candy floss. They were assigned to Room 4. There were twenty students in total and 10 rooms were used with two students in each room.

    "It says here," Laurelai read, her green eyes scanning the roster, "that dinner is at 6 PM."

    Astoria laughed.

    "It''s not even 12 in the afternoon and you are already thinking about dinner?"

    The fairy nodded and smiled.

    "This hotel has delicious cuisine sooo," the fairy paused, grabbing her notebook, "I cannot help but get excited about what the chef will cook for dinner."

    Astoria stood next to the fairy and also grabbed her notebooks. They had a lesson to attend to in ten minutes as their teacher, Miss Yalvina, was going to teach them some history and legislation about East Corrilt.

    When they grabbed their stuff, they walked out their room, locking it. They were provided a place to use as a classroom in one of the conference rooms in the hotel. All the other students were making their way to the conference room and some gazed at the beautiful buildings of the hotel as they passed.

    The students arrived at the conference room and found that it was stacked with chairs and desks like a classroom. Miss Yalvina was already inside, making sure that her notes where in order. She smiled as the students stepped in and took their seats.

    "Do come in students," she ushered them in with a smile, "We still have five minutes before we begin."

    Astoria sat in the front with Laurelai. Davitt sat behind them with a male elf student. Misty''s gang stepped inside the room and when Astoria and Misty''s eyes met, the ghost glared at her, baring her teeth.

    ''Geez,'' Astoria thought, ''So childish. She really needs to leave Nexi alone. Her and her gang of bullies.''

    Misty''s gang sat at the back of the room. When Miss Yalvina saw that all the twenty students had arrived and were seated, she clapped her hands to get their attention as they were busy chatting away in excitement.

    "All right students," she ushered them to be quiet, "Before we start the Riddle Race, you need to know some knowledge about this city."

    All the students paid close attention to her.

    "You will need to know about the Heavenly Spruce Forest, the Coat of Arms and the laws of East Corrilt," she continued opening a textbook, "Please open your textbooks to page 125."

    The students opened their textbooks. Some students forgot to bring their textbooks out of excitement and so shared theirs with other students.

    "Please take this assignment seriously as it will make up 60% of your assignment," Miss Yalvina emphasised causing the students groaned at this, "There will be two parts to this assignment. The first part is a Riddle Race in which you will compete in groups of 4 with other teams to finish the race."

    "Sounds exciting," a student said.

    "The top 3 teams will get to choose among three gems which they can use if they want to forge a weapon. The gems has magical elements," the teacher explained, "The second part of the assignment will involve a special exam which will combine multiple choice questions, true and false questions as well as fill in the blanks. This part will make up 40% of the assignment while the race is 20%."

    The students nodded in understanding. Astoria knew that if she wanted to pass, she had to do well for this assignment as to pass the subject, one needed to get a 50% overall pass.

    "Now," the teacher said, holding a foreign places textbook, "We will first begin reading about the Heavenly Spruce Forest."

    The students stared at the textbook page as Miss Yalvina begna reading. The Heavenly Spruce forest was tremendous, radiant, and young. Its canopy was eclipsed by hawthorn, hickory, and birch, sufficient twinkling lights bursted through their crowns for a plethora of ferns to consume the moist and fertile bottom layer below. Quiet climbing plants dangled from many trees, and a hodgepodge of flowers, which claimed remnants of light, added playful elements to the otherwise mundane backdrop.

    The forest''s canopy was reigned by ash, buxus, hyacinth, and magnolia. Enough light shimmered through their crowns for a hodgepodge of mushrooms to claim the fertile soils below. A mixture of beastly noises, most belonged to rummaging critters, brightened up the forest, and were in harmony with the raging river currents clashing against boulders.

    Miss Yalvina then read about the Coat of Arms. As much as East Corrilt was a city, it was bestowed it''s own Coat of Arms because it provides the Ashen Kingdom its fertility when it comes to nature. Without the anthousai and their power and affinity with nature, the Ashen Kingdom would not be as fertile and luscious as it is today. The anthousai goddess, Viola, created East Corrilt. She is a highly regarded and much adored goddess. Nature, life and fertility are several major elements this divine being is associated with and most would regard her as captivating and friendly.

    A modest shield with a symmetrical squared top and an asymmetrical broad curved bottom is supported by a mage on either side. All of which rests on a forest landscape. A considerable crown, or coronet, rests atop the shield, it''s a crown of raised flowers and rows of various gems decorate the outer sides.

    On top of the coronet sits a coppergate helm, which itself supports the crest, in this case a small owl with closed wings. The coronet and crest are decoratively bound by a roll of fabric, or torse, which carries the main colors used on the shield.

    Lastly, tied to the helmet is an average sized drapery, or mantling, in the shape of floral patterns and colored in the main colors, just like the torse.

    The shield itself has 4 colors which are painted in an embattled grady pattern. 4 hyacinth flowers serve as the emblem, or charge, and a long ribbon, reaching from supporter to supporter, carries the motto, which reads: "Reap what you sow.".

    Miss Yalvina had asked another student to read about the laws of the city. According to the textbook, East Corrilt has multiple community laws. This community law dictates all those found guilty of vandalism of public property will face the punishment of a short term exile.

    The damage of the forest is considered a huge crime as the forest provided sustenance for the city and in turn the kingdom. Those found guilty of assault with illegal chemicals which could potentially harm an individual or the earth will face the punishment of brief public service.

    One law dictates all those found guilty of attempting to or succeeding in bribing a government official will face the punishment of an ''eye for an eye''. One law dictates that those found guilty of domestic fighting will face the punishment of long term solitary confinement.

    A community law dictates all those found guilty of owning or operating a chop shop will face the punishment of a stern warning. This community law dictates all those found guilty of paying an employee in anything but money will face the punishment of short term servitude.

    They had the lesson for an hour and thirty minutes. It was a load of information for Astoria to take and she was so grateful that she had a textbook with all the information. When the lesson had ended, the students were told that they had an hour break before they would have afternoon lunch.

    "Man," Laurelai fell on the soft, cloud-like bed, "That was a load of information to take. We better do well for this assignment."

    Astoria nodded and placed her stuff on top of the drawer. She sat on the bed and ran her hands through her hair. She still did not see any royal guards so she was distressed about that.

    "Are you okay, Nexi?" she heard the fairy ask her.

    "Huh?" she tilted her head.

    "You just seem distracted," the fairy scanned her, "Like you''re looking for someone. Is there someone who is supposed to be here or someone you''re expecting?"

    She sighed and nodded.

    "Yes," she told the fairy, "My father was against me coming here so he said he would send five royal guards to watch me however I have not seen any guards."

    Laurelai sighed.

    "Maybe they are in disguise?" the fairy raised her eyebrows.

    "I do not know," Astoria bit her lip, "I have been looking and looking but I do not see them. Plus, it is hard for me to know their faces because there are so many guards at the palace and they could have used magic to disguise themselves."

    The fairy pat her shoulder.

    "Do not worry," the fairy told her, "They are definitely here. Probably in disguise though.. Do not think too much of it."

 Chapter 81 - Relationship Talk Among Princesses

    "Maybe they are in disguise?" the fairy raised her eyebrows.

    "I do not know," Astoria bit her lip, "I have been looking and looking, but I do not see them. Plus, it is hard for me to know their faces because there are so many guards at the palace, and they could have used magic to disguise themselves."

    The fairy pat her shoulder.

    "Do not worry," the fairy told her, "They are definitely here. Probably in disguise, though. Do not overthink it."

    Miss Yalvina had told the students that today would just be a day for them to prepare themselves for the race as well as their upcoming test. The riddle race will begin tomorrow morning at 9 AM. When the students finished their dinner, they went to their rooms.

    "Tomorrow is race. I cannot believe we only get to find out who is in our team tomorrow," Laurelai sighed as she sat on her bed.

    "What happens if we get someone we do not like? Like someone incompetent?" Astoria asked, lying on her bed.

    The green-eyed fairy shrugged and crossed her arms.

    "I do not think we have a choice in the matter," she told Astoria, "We just have to make it work and finish the race with the incompetent team member."

    Astoria sighed. When she was in high school, she hated group assignments the most because sometimes you would get students who did not do their work on time or did their work incorrectly. Sometimes, the students would not even do their part, and she would end up doing it because she did not want to fail the subject. Group assignments were the worst for her, so she preferred individual assignments.

    "I hope we have Davitt in our team," the fairy said, staring at the ceiling as she lay her head pillow.

    Astoria sat up on her bed and crossed her legs. She stared at the fairy and gave her a knowing smile.

    "Hey Laurelai," she said, causing the fairy to look at her.

    "Hm?" the fairy responded, raising an eyebrow.

    "You like Davitt, don''t you?" Astoria smiled.

    The fairy immediately stood up and waved her hands, denying even the thought of liking a gargoyle.

    "No way!" she replied, her face flushing as she had trouble maintaining eye contact.

    "Oh come on, fairy princess," Astoria laughed, nodding her head.

    "I absolutely do not!" the fairy affirmed, "Even the thought of it is absurd."

    "So," Astoria smirked, "If I asked him out, you would not mind?"

    The fairy quickly looked at her, her gaze fixed on her best friend. Her mouth was open, but no words came out.

    ''Got ya,'' Astoria thought in triumph.

    Of course, she was not planning on asking him out. She did not like the gargoyle. In fact, she had no interest in love right now. It was entirely out of the picture because of the current situation with the Dark Lord. Well, maybe there was some type of love with prince Yashiro, but his love belongs to princess Nexi. So yes, love is completely out of the picture for her.

    "Yes?" Astoria asked again, tilting her head.

    "I..." the fairy struggled to speak and clenched her fists on the bed, "Well, I guess not..."

    Astoria could not help but let out the chuckle she had been holding in.

    "Hahaha," she laughed, causing the fairy to look at her in bewilderment.

    "What is so funny?" she asked Astoria.

    Astoria shook her head and wiped some tears from her eyes.

    "Did anyone ever tell you that you are a bad liar?" she told the fairy.

    Laurelai pressed her lips together.

    "Me? Bad liar?" the fairy asked wide-eyed, "What did I lie about?"

    Astoria stared at the fairy and smiled.

    "I think the whole class knows you like Davitt," she told the fairy, crossing her arms.

    The fairy sighed after a minute and shrugged.

    "Is it that obvious?" she asked Astoria, who nodded.

    "Pretty much so. Yes," Astoria replied.

    "Well, fine," the fairy resigned, "I do like it. I was gonna tell you, but I was still trying to figure out if my feelings were real feelings of love or admiration. I mean, that guy is amazing. He is good at sports, and his academic record is outstanding. Plus, he is pretty cute."

    "Look at you praising your boyfriend," Astoria teased, causing the fairy to blush and cover her face with her hands.

    "He is not my boyfriend," the fairy bowed her head in embarrassment.

    "Yet," Astoria added, grinning.

    The fairy looked at her in shock. She sighed and lay her head on her pillow again.

    "The thing is," she heard the fairy begin speaking after a few minutes of silence, "My father will not be happy that I like a gargoyle or that I want to date such a creature. As you can tell, my father is extremely protective of me."

    Astoria nodded in understanding.

    "But," the fairy continued, a smile plastered on her cute face, "I really, really, really like him, Astoria. I have liked him since I came to Leararts Academy. I just find him so interesting. He knows that he is smart and athletic, but he is humble about it. He never boasts like other students do."

    Astoria nodded. She agreed that Davitt was a good student and had a friendly personality. She also noticed that he seemed to treat Laurelai differently. He was like a tsundere, cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He pretended not to care about the fairy, but he actually liked and cared about her on the inside.

    "Anyway," Laurelai said, clearing her throat, "Let us talk about you."

    "Me?" she asked the fairy, confused.

    "Yeah. Any possible suitors for you?" the fairy asked, "Or maybe a potential husband? I mean, we are both at the age where we can get married, so..."

    Astoria wanted to tell her about the kitsune prince of Chesropis, prince Yashiro. Still, since nobody knew about the engagement yet, as it was a secret that would only be revealed at the banquet this evening, she shook her head ''no.''

    "Not yet," she told the fairy.

    "Want me to introduce someone to you?" the fairy asked, "I have a very handsome fairy prince friend who I think would look good with you. He belongs to the Winter Court. My father wanted me to marry him, but I refused because we went on a blind date, but I found that we had clashing personalities."

    Astoria shook her head ''no.''

    "Nah, I think I am good. I do not think I will like him, plus," she told the fairy, "I am not interested in relationships right now."

    And she was not lying about that. Astoria had more significant issues to deal with, and relationships were not one of them. The fairy nodded.

    "We should get some rest since we have a busy day tomorrow," the fairy said, "We need to wake up feeling energized and ready. Good night."

    With that, the fairy went under her covers and turned her body to face the wall.

    "Good night," Astoria said with a smile.

    They had a pleasant sleep. They could hear the sound of night insects as well as tourists and citizens enjoying themselves at the lovely hotel. The following day, they went to go have a shower. After heading to breakfast, they were told to get ready by 8:30 AM and meet in the conference room.

    "I wonder who will be in my team," Astoria heard some students say to each other.

    "I hope it is not one of Misty''s gang," one student mumbled to another.

    Astoria could not agree more. Having a group member of Misty''s gang would be a whole other problem. They would bully the rest of the members. If a member from their gang joined Astoria''s group, they would definitely bully her since they bully the Ashen princess Nexi.

    When Astoria walked next to the fairy, she noticed that as they headed to the conference room, she got some weird looks from some men. They all have her a subtle bow that only she would witness. She raised her eyebrows, confused at first. When she had arrived in the conference room, she then realized that those must be the royal guards because there were five of them who had subtly stared and bowed at her.

    ''So they really are here?'' she sighed in relief.

    "What is wrong?" the fairy whispered to her as they sat down in the conference room.

    "My royal guards are here," she whispered back to the fairy princess.

    "See? I told you they were in disguise," the fairy smiled at her, and she nodded.

    "All right, students. Hurry up and take your seats," Miss Yalvina told her students, We do not want to waste time."

    When all the students were seated, she gave a student a stack of maps and brochures to pass around the class.

    "Make sure you take one map and a brochure," the teacher instructed, crossing her arms.

 Chapter 82 - Teams And Duties

    "Make sure you take one map and a brochure," the teacher instructed, crossing her arms.

    The students grabbed a map and brochure as they passed them around. When the teacher saw that every student had taken a map and brochure as instructed, she clapped her hands.

    "All right. I will now explain the rules of how the Riddle Race will work," she smiled.

    The students paid close attention to her.

    "The race will consist of you traveling to five places," Miss Yalvina began to explain, "At each place, there will be an anthousai wearing a white t-shirt with a hyacinth flower on the front. There will be a number on their t-shirt from one to five indicating the number of the place you are at."

    Students began to take note of what she was saying, and so did Astoria.

    "At each location, the anthousai will give you a riddle," Miss Yalvina began to walk around, "When you guess the answer to the riddle, only then will you get the puzzle piece you need."

    "Puzzle piece?" one student asked, tilting her head in confusion.

    "Yes," the teacher replied, nodding her head, "At every destination, you will get a puzzle piece when you answer a riddle correctly. There are five puzzle pieces in total. To prevent teams from jeopardizing or stealing puzzles from each other, every team will get a different puzzle to complete."

    Students let out a sigh of relief.

    ''It seems like I was not the only one who was worried about a team jeopardizing another team,'' Astoria pressed her lips together, ''Looks like Miss Yalvina knew this was capable of happening. I mean, if we all had to get the same puzzle pieces, we would end up starling from each other and avoid completing a riddle.''

    "So there are five different puzzles to be completed, and you will be split into four groups with five students each," the teacher began to walk around the classroom.

    She told the class to open their brochures, which the students did.

    "The brochure highlights the five places you will go to," she told them, "You will go to the Anthousai Museum, Heavenly Spruce Forest, The Future Flower Garden of East Corrilt, the Summerna Park, and lastly, the Bookends Bookstore."

    Astoria stared at the brochure and scanned all five locations. They were all beautiful, especially The Future Flower Garden of East Corrilt.

    "As you can see," Miss Yalvina was now standing in front of the students again.

    She held the brochure in her hand and pointed at all the given locations.

    "All the locations are at a faulty equal distance from each other," she continued, "You can decide for yourself how you will get to each destination. I will hand over a card with the coat of arms printed on it."

    ''A card?'' Astoria raised her eyebrows.

    "This card will allow you to use any form of transport to travel to the five locations," Miss Yalvina explained, "Once you have gathered all the five puzzle pieces, you must return here to this conference room and sit with your group members. You must then put the puzzle together here in the conference room."

    She emphasized the word ''here.''

    "If I find out that you put the puzzle together before coming here- which I will because I have eyes and ears everywhere since the place is full of nature so I can watch over you all - you will be severely penalized. This race is not just to test your riddle skills but also to test how you work with others. Any questions so far before I continue?"

    The students shook their heads ''no.''

    "Okay. I will now split you up into your teams," she grabbed the register, "Team one will consist of Gamroki, Dulmoure, Misty, and Sadelia."

    Astoria could tell that the other students in Misty''s team were not happy to be with her.

    "Team two..." the teacher continued to assign the teams.

    "... Lastly, team five will be Laurelai, Nexi, Davitt, and Laojin."

    Astoria internally groaned.

    ''Not Laojin,'' she bit her lip, ''But having him in my team is better than having Misty, who hates Nexi''s, and mine''s, living gut. Besides, I am glad I have the fairy and class president with me. They are both smart, so thank you, goddess, for assigning me to them.''

    All the students were assigned to a team. They gathered together to discuss strategies on how they would go about completing the riddle race and coming up in the top three.

    "Ah, I must have used up all my luck," Laojin, the troll smirked, "I was able to join a group with two extremely beautiful women."

    Laurelai rolled her green eyes, and Astoria did not respond. Davitt cleared his throat, causing his team members to look at him.

    "First, we need to have a group leader," the gargoyle class president stated, holding a notebook and pen in his hand, "Any volunteers."

    None of his members said anything, and Astoria was not even thinking of putting her hand up. When a minute passed with silence, Davitt sighed.

    "Fine," the gargoyle said, "If no one volunteers, then I will be the group leader. Any objections?"

    "None and good choice," Laurelai quickly agreed.

    "Now, we need a map reader," Davitt said, "Someone who is good with directions and reading a map."

    If it was in her world, Astoria would have volunteered, but this was not her world. This was a world full of magic and fantasy creatures. There was no way she would volunteer.

    "I would love to be the map reader," the fairy raised her hand, "You guys may not know it, but I am great when it comes to directions and reading maps. I can memorize a map in the blink of an eye. Plus, I have been here before and know two out of the five locations."

    Astoria smiled in relief.

    "Any objections?" Davitt asked to which no one raised any.

    "Great," Davitt said after a while, "We also need someone who will be in charge of keeping the puzzle pieces with them."

    "I do not mind doing that," Astoria said, raising her hand to volunteer, "Unless you want to do it, Laojin?"

    She stared at him with an ambiguous smile. He looked away, avoiding eye contact. The guy was still terrified about their encounter in the Foreign Political Science class. He still had marks on his shoulder from when she dug her nails in them. He quickly shook his head ''no.''

    "Great then," Astoria said, clapping her hands together.

    "What is he going to do?" Laurelai said, pointing at the troll.

    "We will figure that out later," Davitt said, "At the end of the day, we are all a team so let us work together in harmony."

    Davitt emphasized the word ''harmony'' and stared at Laojin when he said it.

    "If I find out that a group member is trying to sabotage another member or the team as a whole," Davitt ran his hands through his brown hair.

    His tone suddenly turned serious, "You will be sorry."

    This caused the rest of the team members to stare at him wide-eyed. Laojin gulped nervously.

    "All right, teams," Miss Yalvina clapped to get every student''s attention, "The race will end at 3 PM. It is currently 9:55 AM right now. The race starts at 10 AM. Do make sure that you do not go anywhere that is not part of the riddle race. If you get in any trouble, call me. No fighting amongst team members and no sabotage. All the best!"

    The students nodded and smiled.

    "Oh!" Miss Yalvina exclaimed, laughing softly, "I almost forgot. Some locations will have challenges for you to complete before you can hear the riddle."

    The students groaned, and Miss Yalvina chuckled.

    "Did you all think it would be that easy?" she smirked, "That all you had to do was travel to the locations, hear the riddle, guess the answer, and receive your puzzle piece?"

    Some students sighed.

    "Yeah. We did," one student replied, smiling sheepishly.

    Miss Yalvina laughed and looked at the watch.

    "It is now 10AM," she declared, "Remember the race finishes at 3 PM, so make sure to finish collecting your puzzle pieces before 3PM. All teams should be here by half-past two, at least. If you do not complete this assignment by 3PM, you will fail."

    The students nodded in understanding.

    "Most of all, though," she continued, a smile on her beautiful face, "I want you to enjoy seeing all the beautiful places for this city. I want you to have fun as well and bond with each other. All right, you are allowed to start at any location you want as long as you visit all five locations. All the best and good luck!"

    With that, she dismissed the students, and they headed out. Ready to start the Riddle Race and have fun while improving their riddle skills.

    "All right, team," Laurelai said, fisting her hand in the air, "Let''s do this. We are aiming for the top three, though I would love to come out first. Anyway, let''s do our best....all of us."

 Chapter 83 - The Riddle Race Part 1

    "All right, team," Laurelai said, fisting her hand in the air, "Let''s do this. We are aiming for the top three, okay? Though I would love to come out first. Anyway, let''s do our best...all of us."

    Everyone in the group nodded, including Laojin, the troll. Laurelai opened the map and checked the five locations highlighted on the map.

    "Hmm, where should we go first?" the fairy asked her team members, scanning the locations from where they were.

    Astoria and Laojin stared at the map, and Davitt cleared his throat after checking the locations on the map. His members looked at him as he had an idea.

    "Well," the gargoyle class president began, "The closest location right now is the Anthousai Museum, so logically that would be the best place to go to first..."

    The gargoyle paused.

    "However, that is what every other team is thinking as well, right?" Laojin asked, earning a nod from Davitt.

    "Exactly," Davitt said, tapping his foot, "So, to avoid having to wait for other teams to finish the challenge and guess the riddle, we should go to another location."

    "Like start somewhere in the middle? Like going to The Future Flower Garden of East Corrilt?" Astoria said, nodding her head.

    "Bingo," Davitt agreed, "Any objections to that?"

    The team members shook their heads, ''no.''

    "Okay, Laojin," Davitt said, causing the troll to look at him, "Since you have a watch, you can be our timekeeper. We should aim to finish each challenge and solve each riddle at every location in no more than thirty minutes."

    Laojin nodded, and everyone else agreed to Davitt, their team leader said.

    "All right. Everyone," Laurelai said, tugging some loose strands of her hair behind her ear, "Follow your beautiful map reader."

    With that, she began to walk out of the conference room. Astoria smiled at her remark and fixed the belt bag she had worn around her waist. They met Misty''s team when they stepped out of the conference room, out of the hotel area, and into the street. The ghost devilishly smirked at Astoria and her team members.

    "May the best team win, losers," the ghost girl said, twirling her hair and walking away from Astoria and her team members.

    Misty''s team members smiled apologetically at Astoria and the other members and ran to Misty''s side.

    "I am guessing she is their leader," the fairy said with a pout, "And I bet you they had no choice but to agree to it."

    "Whether she is their leader or not has nothing to do with us," Davitt said, tapping the fairy''s shoulder, "We should focus on our team."

    The fairy sighed and nodded.

    "Yeah. You are right," the fairy said, shrugging.

    "Now then," Astoria spoke, looking at the bustling street, "Which mode of transport should we take?"

    Laojin looked at the map Laurelai was holding.

    "Between a bus and a cab," the troll said, tilting his head as he was busy evaluating which would be the best between the two, "I suggest a cab. When I came here, I saw a bus schedule. It showed that a bus arrives on this street every hour. It is quarter past ten right now, so the next bus will arrive at 11 AM. We cannot wait that long, which is why I am suggesting we take a cab."

    Everyone stared at the troll in shock. He looked back at them, bewildered.

    "What?" he asked them, blinking several times in confusion.

    "We did not know you paid attention to detail," Laurelai said, causing the others to nod.

    "Yeah," Astoria agreed, "I think a cab is better."

    Davitt nodded and hailed a cab. It was a pink cab, and the driver was an elf. Laurelai suggested that she sit in front of the driver since she had the map and wanted to get the best view of the different buildings in the city. Everyone had no problem with her request. Astoria and Davitt sat by the windows at the back while Laojin sat in the middle.

    "Are you ladies and gentlemen new here?" the elf cab driver asked, trying to make small talk, "I do not think I have seen your faces before, and your energy and aura are different from the citizens who live here."

    "Yes. We are," Davitt said as Astoria handed him the transport card the teacher gave the teams to use for traveling from one location to another.

    "Ah, I see," the elf driver gave Davitt a machine to swipe using the transport card, "Well, I hope you will enjoy this place. It is quite a peaceful city. One of the most peaceful cities in the Ashen Kingdom."

    Davitt swiped the transport card on the machine, and the elf took the device away, putting it in a compartment.

    "Ah!" the elf driver exclaimed, "Are you all students?"

    "Huh?" Laojin tilted his head.

    "I am asking that because of the transport card," the elf driver said, nodding his tiny head, "Only students get access to this transport card with East Corrilt''s Coat of Arms printed on it."

    "Oh. We are students," Astoria replied a few seconds after.

    "Oh, how exciting!" the elf driver said, humming a tune.

    It took them ten minutes to get to the Future Flower Garden of East Corrilt.

    "Here we are," the elf driver said, parking in front of the entrance to the garden.

    The team stepped out of the car and thanked the elf for driving them here.

    "No problem," he told them with a grin, "Now you students have fun and stay safe. Bye!"

    The students bowed, and the driver drove off.

    "Looks like we are here," Davitt said, turning around to face the third location of the Riddle Race.

    "Yeah," the fairy stared at the massive, beautiful logo that signaled the garden, a hyacinth held by two hands. The hyacinth was faced to an animated sun.

    "All right. Let us not waste any time," Astoria said, putting the transport card in her belt bag, "Let''s go."

    With that, they all walked to the entrance of the Future Flower Garden of East Corrilt. They were immediately blown away when they walked past it and into a wonderland of nature.

    "Wow," Astoria breathed out.

    A well-kept field of grass was encircled by tall flower bushes. They saw an image of a pond built in the back left of the enchanting garden, with glistening water dropping from tier to tier. The flower beds were well kept, precisely cut, and meticulously looked after. They were highlighted with garden lights.

    "Can anyone see the anthousai we are supposed to meet?" Davitt asked.

    Astoria shook her head ''no.''

    "I just see other people," Laojin said, looking around, "But no sign of our anthousai."

    Laurelai sighed.

    "I guess we have to find him or her," the fairy said.

    Davitt nodded, and they all began to walk around. They came across flower bushes. These flower bushes reached 1.3m/4ft high, which happened because they were well cared for.

    Here and there lay small boulders, directing visitors around the garden in a natural way. Plants and vines seemed to refuse to try and claim more land than they had been allocated, perhaps thanks to some intervention by green thumbs and magic.

    "Still no sign of the anthousai?" Astoria sighed.

    "Mhm," Laurelai sighed as well.

    They reached the pond they had seen earlier from afar. The pond was for all intents and purposes. It was the centerpiece of The Future Flower Garden of East Corrilt and, therefore, the most appealing part. Indeed a sight for the eyes.

    "This pond," Astoria breathed out, awe evident in her voice, "The water is crystal clear. I have never seen such clear water in my life."

    "Tell me about it," Laurelai walked around the pond and came back to stand next to Astoria.

    "The flower beds are also surely a sight to behold, and the flower bushes are nothing to sneeze at, too," the fairy added.

    "Yeah," Laojin agreed, "But everything will always be overshadowed by this pond. It is really spectacular."

    They all nodded their heads.

    "Ah!" Davitt exclaimed, "Found her."

    He pointed to a female anthousai who was wearing a white t-shirt with an image of a hyacinth flower in the front. She was seated on one of the benches with a green book in her hands. There was a cup of tea on the table. Davitt ushered them to go to her, and they all followed behind him.

    "Excuse me," Davitt said, causing the anthousai to look up from her book.

    "Yes?" she said, gazing at the four people in front of her, "May I help you?"

    "We are from Leararts Academy," Astoria said.

    "Ah!" the anthousai exclaimed, closing her book and immediately standing up, "Yes, you are doing the riddle race, am I right? I just need to make sure."

    Laojin and Laurelai nodded, and she smiled.

    "Well then," she faced her palm on the bench behind her, "Are you ready to begin your challenge before I give you your riddle?"

 Chapter 84 - The Riddle Race Part 2

    "Well then," she faced her palm on the bench behind her, "Are you ready to begin your challenge before I give you your riddle?"

    Astoria and her team nodded. The garden was bustling with a variety of creatures besides the anthousai. Some were posing and taking pictures. Others wrote down notes and followed tour guides who gave them information about the Future Flower Garden of East Corrilt while guiding them around the massive, enchanting garden.

    "Magneta Consieus," the anthousai uttered.

    A thick, green rush of small spikes snaked their way down her arms, onto her hands, and onto the bench. Just then, five plants appeared on the table. Astoria stared at the plants and wondered what their challenge with these plants would be.

    "Over here," the anthousai pointed at the plants, "are five different plants. I will explain each plant, and you are expected to find which one is poisonous among these plants. I could make up lies about the poisonous plant to make you believe that it is not poisonous, so you just have to think carefully about which plant I lied about."

    Laurelai''s eyes widened, and she stared at Astoria, who shrugged.

    "First," the anthousai said, pointing at a small plant, "is the Carya Monticola."

    Astoria and her team members stared at the plant as the anthousai began to explain.

    "The Carya Monticola is an extremely common, small plant and can be found anywhere near rivers. It blooms in early autumn," the anthousai said, smiling at the students.

    "As you can see, it has narrow, egg-shaped leaves, which are usually green and white. It also grows large flowers, which can be bronze, dark silver, and light orange."

    Astoria and Laurelai pressed their lips together as they stared at the plant closely.

    "This plant grows in huge numbers, but it''s really tricky to control and maintain its growth. It can be used as an energizer when eaten. Yes?" the anthousai stared at the gargoyle whose hand was raised.

    "What about its defense mechanism?" Davitt asked.

    The anthousai grinned.

    "As a defense mechanism, the Carya Monticola can collapse its flowers when it detects vibrations," the anthousai replied, smiling at Davitt, "It relies on animal pollination to reproduce. Moreover, to promote pollination, it gives off a delicate smell."

    Astoria heard Laojin sigh in exasperation.

    ''Same, troll, same,'' Astoria thought, ''I cannot even help you guys because I have no knowledge of plants in this world. You could give me a poisonous plant and lie to me that it is edible, and I would probably eat it because I do not know about this world''s plant life.''

    Astoria let out a soft sigh. The anthousai clapped her hands and pointed to the next plant, which was totally pitch black.

    "Could that maybe be the poisonous one?" the fairy whispered to Astoria.

    "Do not be fooled," Davitt whispered to them.

    "Yeah, he is right," Laojin agreed, "Just because it is pitch black and looks poisonous does not mean it is poisonous."

    Laurelai crossed her arms and nodded.

    "This pitch-black plant is quite rare," the anthousai said, tilting her head, "The Centaurea Pitchatum is an extremely rare, large plant and can be found in most wet regions. It blooms once a year, for one month."

    The anthousai crossed her arms.

    "It is poisonous," she said, causing Astoria and her team to gasp.

    ''She is lying, isn''t she?'' the fairy thought, raising her eyebrows.

    "She could be trying to fool us, guys," Laojin whispered to Davitt, who nodded.

    "Is it really poisonous?" Astoria asked, narrowing her eyes at the anthousai and staring at her skeptically.

    The anthousai shrugged and smiled ambiguously.

    "It is your choice on whether you want to believe me or not," she told Astoria, who bit her lip.

    She looked at her team members, and they all nodded.

    ''Okay,'' Astoria thought, ''At least I am not the only one who does not believe this anthousai.''

    "As you can see, it has wide, barb-shaped leaves, which are usually forest green. Many people find it a strange plant that grows quite large flowers, which can be purple, light red, and light pink."

    ''That is really freaky,'' Astoria thought, staring intently at the pitch-black plant.

    "These plants grow in small groups, but controlling and maintaining their growth is challenging. To attract insects and the like, it releases a sweet-smelling scent. It also relies on cloning itself by growing a new specimen to reproduce."

    Laurelai nudged Astoria, who looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

    "That really is one freaky looking plant," the fairy whispered to her, her eyes glued on the plant, "I have never seen or heard of it."

    "One of my favorite plants," the anthousai said, pointing to the plant next to the Centaurea Pitchatum, "is the Ficus Soulangiana. It is a very common, large plant which can be found in most subarctic regions."

    The students listened attentively, their brows furrowed as they examined the plants as the anthousai continued to speak.

    "It blooms twice a year for four months. As you can see, it has small, star-shaped leaves," the anthousai continued pointing at the leaves, "which are usually emerald. It also grows huge round flowers, which can be dark purple, orange, silver, and light orange."

    "You do not think her favorite flower would be poisonous, right?" Astoria whispered to Davitt.

    He shook his head.

    "Well," he whispered back to her, "She might say it is her favorite plant because of the huge, round flowers it grows."

    "Ah, I see," Astoria nodded, crossing her arms, "That is a possibility."

    "But not only poison is bad for you," Laojin whispered, "So, is it possible that she likes the plant because it can be used for medicine?"

    Laurelai pinched her nose.

    "Hmm," the fairy steepled her fingers and whispered, "That makes sense."

    "Ficus Soulangiana plants grow alone but within a decent distance from each other. It is challenging to control and maintain their growth," the anthousai continued, nodding her head, "They can be used to treat wounds. As a defense mechanism, the Ficus Soulangiana mimics the overall look of a different, poisonous plant. They rely on animal pollination to reproduce. Once pollinated, they grow small, delicious nuts which are used in the making of hazelnut and raspberry fruitcake."

    This was a lot of information to process for all of them, but Davitt had been taking notes the whole time. Astoria was highly thankful to have the gargoyle in his team.

    "This here," the anthousai said, giving them all a lovely smile and pointing at a small plant, "is the Chlidanthus Betonicifolia which is a very common, small plant and can be found all over Ashen. It blooms all year and can grow from extremely hot to extremely cold in any weather condition. It has huge, toothed leaves, which are usually dark blue."

    Astoria nodded and stared at the small plant.

    "It also grows tiny flowers, which can be brown, dark red, and blue. These plants grow in tiny groups, but it''s easy, even without experience, to control and maintain their growth," the anthousai continued, "They can be cooked and eaten as they are a good source of nutrients. As a defense mechanism, the Chlidanthus Betonicifolia grows slippery leaves to prevent insects from easily eating them. They rely on wind pollination to reproduce. Once pollinated, they grow small, inedible fruits."

    "Is this plant like a vegetable?" Astoria asked, raising her hand.

    "Yes," the anthousai replied, "It is a vegetable and is used in medicine."

    "Oh!" Laurelai exclaimed, clapping her hands together, "I have heard of this plant. I was wondering why the name was so familiar. I once came here with my father, and I fell sick. The nurse at the hospital gave me some green soup and mentioned that the plant used in the soup was this plant."

    Laojin pumped his fist in the air.

    "Yes!" the troll smiled in happiness, "Then we just have to focus on which of the remaining four plants are poisonous."

    Davitt stared at the fairy.

    "Are you sure it was called the Chlidanthus Betonicifolia?" the gargoyle asked the fairy, who nodded.

    "Yeah," the fairy smiled, clasping her hands behind her body, "I remember perfectly because the soup was really delicious, and I was cured when I woke up the next day."

    "And finally," the anthousai said, pointing at the final plant, "This here is the Crocus Cobaea, a very common, medium-sized plant which can be found mostly in tundras. It blooms twice a year, for one month."

    "It has wide, square-shaped leaves, which are usually bright yellow. It also grows decent-sized flowers, which can be dark red and light brown. These plants grow in tiny groups, but it is very easy to control and maintain their growth. They can be used to treat wounds."

    The anthousai licked her lips.

    "As a defense mechanism, the Crocus Cobaea is poisonous for most creatures. They rely on the wind to carry their seeds away to reproduce.. Once pollinated, they grow fairly large, inedible fruits."

 Chapter 85 - The Riddle Race Part 3

    "As a defense mechanism, the Crocus Cobaea is poisonous for most creatures. They rely on the wind to carry their seeds away to reproduce. Once pollinated, they grow fairly large, inedible fruits."

    The anthousai grabbed the book she was reading and nodded.

    "Now that I have explained all the five plants," she said, "I will give you about ten minutes to discuss with each other about which you think is the poisonous plant. If you have an answer before your ten minutes is up, then come to me and tell me."

    With that, the anthousai sat a few meters away from them at another bench. She opened her book and began reading again. Laurelai sighed.

    "All right, " the fairy clapped her hands, "Let us discuss this."

    They looked at Davitt, who ushered them to stand in front of the bench so that they could get a good look at the five plants lying on the table.

    "Okay," Davitt said, opening his notebook, "Here''s what we know. There are five plants here."

    Everyone nodded.

    "We have the Carya Monticola, a small plant, and can be used as an energizer," he said, pointing at the small plant, "Next to it is the Centaurea Pitchatum, a rare pitch-black plant, and the anthousai told us that it is poisonous, which may or may not be true."

    "Yeah," Laurelai nodded, "You know what they say; looks can be deceiving."

    Laojin crossed his arms and nodded.

    "The next plant is the Ficus Soulangiana," Davitt continued, "She told us that it is her favorite."

    ''I wonder why she said that,'' Astoria thought, pouting her lips as she thought about what the reason could be.

    "She said this plant can be used for medicine to treat wounds," the gargoyle tilted his head as he examined the plant.

    "I remember that she also said once pollinated, they grow small, delicious nuts which are used in the making of hazelnut and raspberry fruitcake," Astoria added.

    Laurelai clasped her hands together.

    "Do you think she likes hazelnut and raspberry fruitcake?" the fairy asked, "Maybe she said that because that fruitcake is her favorite."

    Laojin and Davitt nodded.

    "It is a possibility," Davitt said.

    He sighed and ran his fingers through his brown hair. This caused Laurelai to stare at him in longing. The fairy was really smitten by him. Her mouth was wide open as she stared at his strong arms.

    "Hey," Astoria nudged her, causing the fairy to shake her head as she snapped out for her daze, "Don''t stare for so long unless you are planning on making him realise you like him."

    She whispered to the fairy, and Laurelai tugged some red strands behind her ear and blushed slightly.

    "Sorry," the fairy whispered back, "I couldn''t help it."

    They stared at Davitt, who was examining the plants with Laojin.

    "We agreed that we are canceling out the Childanthus Betonicifolia, right?" Davitt asked, staring at his team members.

    "Yes, you can trust me on that part," the fairy nodded, "I would phone my dad for more clarification, but we are not allowed to use our phones to do this race."

    Davitt nodded and pointed at a medium-sized plant.

    "Finally, the Crocus Cobaea," he said, examining the plant, "It is a very common plant and is used to treat wounds."

    "Now, among the four, we have to find which one is poisonous," Laojin pressed his lips together as the others scanned the four plants.

    Laurelai patted his shoulder.

    "Remember what we learned at the academy?" she asked him.

    "Huh?" the troll tilted his forehead and furrowed his brow in confusion.

    "There are two traits to a poisonous plant," the fairy said with a smile, "Firstly, most poisonous plants produce inedible fruits."

    Davitt nodded.

    "They also don''t grow any type of flower," he added, pointing at the plants.

    Laojin nodded.

    "That anthousai," the troll said, scanning the plants, "She said that the Carya Monticola and the Centaurea Pitchatum grow flowers, and the Ficus Soulangiana as well."

    "Which leaves the Crocus Cobaea as the only plant which does not grow any flowers," Astoria pinched her nose as she came to a realisation, "She also said that it is poisonous to some creatures and it grows inedible fruits."

    Laojin sighed.

    "Okay, I get the two traits of a poisonous plant," the troll said, earning their attention, "But remember that she did say she lied about a poisonous plant and made it seem not poisonous, so how sure are we that she did not lie about the plant Nexi mentioned?"

    Davitt smiled and signaled everyone to look at him as he snapped his fingers.

    "I forgot to mention something which I just remembered now," he said.

    "Mention what?" Astoria asked, wondering what he wanted to tell them.

    "I read a book about plants once when I was young, out of curiosity," the gargoyle explained and pointed at the Crocus Cobaea, "It mentioned something about poisonous plants. one of the dominant characteristics is that it is square-shaped."

    Laurelai and Laojin''s eyes widened.

    "A-are you sure?" the fairy stammered, her green eyes darting from the gargoyle to the Crocus Cobaea plant.

    Davitt nodded and looked at the gargoyle.

    "How much time do we have left for discussion?" he asked him.

    Laojin brought his arm to his face and stared at his watch.

    "Two minutes," he placed his arm to his side.

    Davitt nodded.

    "Okay, everyone," he told the team, "We have two choices, which, according to my observation, are one of the poisonous plants."

    "Which ones are those?" the fairy asked, tilting her head to the side with an anticipated look on her face.

    "It is either the Crocus Cobaea and the Ficus Soulangiana," Davitt told them, closing his notebook.

    The team examined the two plants and had a few seconds of discussion. The anthousai walked towards them and stood by the table when the time was up. She smiled at them.

    "I trust the team came to a decision," she asked them, and they nodded.

    Astoria pressed her lips together and clasped her hands. She hoped, for Nexi''s sake, that their decision was right. That they picked the correct plant.

    "Great, and which plant have you picked to be the poisonous one?" she asked them.

    As the group leader, Davitt wanted to be the one to tell the anthousai the answer. No one had any objections to his suggestion. He pointed at the medium-sized plant.

    "Our answer is the Crocus Cobaea," he told the anthousai, who smiled ambiguously.

    "Is that your final answer?" she asked them, and they all nodded.

    She clapped her hands, and the plants disappeared.

    "You do realize that if you are wrong, a new set of plants will appear, and you will have to redo this challenge, right?" she asked them, and they nodded.

    They all pressed their lips as they waited for her to tell them if their answer was correct or not. Did they pass the challenge, or did they fail it? Did they have to redo it? That would be such a waste of time. This would cause them to be behind.

    "Well, then," the anthousai said, "Your answer is..."

    They all held their breaths as they felt like the anticipation of the correct answer eating away their very oxygen.

    "That is... correct!" the anthousai clapped her hands in delight, "As expected, students from Leararts Academy are knowledgeable."

    Astoria and everyone else in the team let out a long sigh of relief and grinned, beaming from ear to ear.

    "Thank the Goddess!" the fairy exclaimed, placing a hand on her beating heart and trying to calm it.

    "Now on to your riddle," the anthousai said with an angelic smile on her face.

    They nodded and listened to her attentively.

    "Reaching stiffly for the sky, I bare my fingers when it is cold," the anthousai began, "In warmth, I wear an emerald glove, and in between, I dress in gold. What am I?"

    Astoria stared at her teammates.

    ''I bare my fingers when it is cold?'' she thought, biting her lip, ''Wearing emerald gloves in warmth?''

    "Do you think it is a living thing?" Laurelai asked her teammates.

    "It could be a plant like a tree," Astoria said after a while.

    "A plant like a tree?" Laojin asked, his brow furrowed.

    Astoria nodded.

    "Warmth could be summer, the cold could refer to winter, and in between could be spring and autumn," she told them.

    "That makes sense," Laurelai snapped her finger, "because when it is cold, most trees lose their leaves or their leaves freeze."

    "So the ''bare my fingers'' could mean-"

    "A deciduous tree branches!" Laojin exclaimed as the answer hit him, casting him to cut off the class president, "Sorry, I got excited."

    Everyone laughed, and they nodded at each other.

    "Do you have the answer to the riddle?" the anthousai asked, looking at each of them.

    They nodded and, as a team, gave the answer.

    "A deciduous tree!" they answered in unison.

    The anthousai clapped her hands and nodded.

    "Correct!"

 Chapter 86 - Special

    Novel Title: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Hi readers, I just wanted to share the second chapter of my new novel here so that I could be able to reach a larger audience. Before I start the chapter, I just want to thank everyone who has been reading my novel , Princess of the Silver Ocean, up till now. Your support means so much for me and I am honestly truly grateful.

    The novel is going to come to an end soon and I hope that you will continue to love all my characters, good or bad, and support them all. This second novel of mine is very precious to me and I am having so much fun writing it and showcasing characters from different backgrounds. Every character is special to me and I hope that you will be able to connect with at least one character. Enjoy this 2nd chapter of my new novel!

    Chapter Title: Cold Wind at Night

    Don''t worry, mum. I promise I''ll work harder so that we can get out of this hellhole," Lai told her mother as she helped her stand up from the floor and seated her on the couch.

    It had happened again: the abuse, pain, and torture. It always happened when her father was drunk. Honestly, to say she was sick and tired of this situation would be an understatement.

    She hated him. She hated him so much. Why does he have to treat them this way? What did they ever do to deserve such mistreatment?

    "Thank you, Lai Lai," her mother softly spoke, using the nickname she had given her since she was a child.

    Lai''s mother silently groaned in pain as she shifted herself so that she could sit more comfortably, smiling bitterly as she watched her daughter walk to the cupboard to grab the first aid kit. Her mother watched her crouch beside the chair and begin to disinfect her injuries."Don''t worry, mum. I promise I''ll work harder so that we can get out of this hellhole," Lai told her mother as she helped her stand up from the floor and seated her on the couch.

    It had happened again: the abuse, pain, and torture. It always happened when her father was drunk. Honestly, to say she was sick and tired of this situation would be an understatement.

    She hated him. She hated him so much. Why does he have to treat them this way? What did they ever do to deserve such mistreatment?

    "Thank you, Lai Lai," her mother softly spoke, using the nickname she had given her since she was a child.

    Lai''s mother silently groaned in pain as she shifted herself so that she could sit more comfortably, smiling bitterly as she watched her daughter walk to the cupboard to grab the first aid kit. Her mother watched her crouch beside the chair and begin to disinfect her injuries.

    "Mum, why do you let him continue to do this to you?"

    Her mother looked away, gazing at the wall, her mind far away. She always got the bad end of the stick. She always ended up with more bruises since she was his number one target.

    "Truthfully speaking, he is a douchebag, so why-"

    "Lai Lai!" her mother exclaimed, interrupting her.

    Her mother''s eyes widened in shock at her statement. Why was she so shocked? It was not like she was wrong. She was 100% correct, and her mother knew it.

    "Don''t call your father such a vulgar word. He''s sleeping, so what if he hears you? He will get furious!" her mother whispered, softly hitting her shoulders.

    Lai rolled her eyes at her mother''s statement. Well, he was a douchebag. Any man who abused his wife or family was a douchebag.

    Nah, douchebag was too soft a word. Scum. Scum was the better word. Her father goes out drinking almost every night, and when he comes back, he comes as this abusive, angry beast. They are his prey, and she was so sick of it!

    She had applied for jobs instead of going to college. Although she was an A+ student in high school and was offered a scholarship to study whatever she wanted, she turned it down.

    It may sound crazy, but she had to at that time. What led to her turning down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you ask? Who else but her oh-so-sweet father.

    Five years ago, during her final year of high school, her father was fired for misconduct as an Administrative Clerk at one of the city''s banks. Her mother then became the sole financial provider of the house.

    Her father tried to find other jobs, but to no avail, since all the employers found out why he was fired. He ended up depressed and began to drink excessively, and later gambled.

    He took out loans from loansharks to cater to his gambling addiction. Who did he put as collateral in the event that he died before entirely paying off his loan?

    You guessed it, his very own daughter. How swell...And so Lai had found out about her father''s deal with the devil and told herself that she had to sacrifice her education if it meant helping relieve some of her mother''s financial burdens and paying off the five million dollar debt her father owed the loan sharks. It was the best option, especially for her safety.

    "Whatever, but just so you know, I have an interview tomorrow at Monolith Bank Corp.," Lai said, crossing her arms together.

    "Your father''s former workplace?" her mother asked, her squinting black eyes watching her in shock at her statement.

    She nodded, and her mother vigorously shook her head ''no.''

    "Are you sure? I thought they were paying you enough at the caf��. You don''t need to work yourself to the bone. Besides your father...His misconduct...The bank may be prejudiced."

    Lai sighed. Of course, she knew that was a possibility, but there was no way she would miss this opportunity. She was going to go to the interview and give off her best. She needed a high-paying job. She had to get a high-paying job for herself and her mother''s survival.

    "Don''t worry about that. I am not my father and will show them why I deserve that receptionist job," she said, giving her mother a reassuring smile.

    Her mother looked at her in disbelief, her eyes devoid of happiness. It was as if she had become soulless over the last five years. Gray, shoulder-length hair slightly covered her mother''s lean face.

    If one looked at her, they would think she had never known what joy was. Gentle black eyes, set asymmetrically within their sockets, observed Lai as she finished disinfecting the wound on her mother''s right cheek.

    Her mother used to be as graceful as a swan with the most beautiful, dazzling smile she had ever seen. Now, she occasionally saw her smile, not that she blamed her. It was hard to smile in a household where you were repeatedly abused and treated like a dirty rag.

    Lai wanted to change that. Yes, she intends to change their circumstances and bring back her mother''s happiness once again. She wants them to be happy again and see her mother smile and laugh more often.

    She wants to see her be the radiant jewel she used and deserves to be. She glanced at the closed door of her parent''s room. Her father was inside, sleeping after consuming too much alcohol again.

    "Done," she informed her mother, closing the first aid kit and putting it back in the cupboard.

    "I''m heading to bed. I don''t want to wake up tired for my interview tomorrow," she stated, yawning.

    Her mother just absently nodded and watched as Lai wandered to her room, downcast. Lai locked the door and crouched beside her bed, tears welling up in her hazelnut eyes as she thought of how much her mother and her were suffering.

    ''How much longer do we have to endure this?''

    She cried so much that she had a massive headache a few minutes later.

    "Great, just great."

    She stood up, walked to her closet, sat down, and gazed at herself in the mirror. She was now a 178cm tall 23-year-old. She inherited her large hazelnut eyes from her father, much to her dismay since they don''t have a good relationship anymore. Her eyes always received compliments on how large, beautiful, and mesmerising they were.

    She moved away from the mirror. Her bedroom had a balcony, so she walked to the door and opened it. As soon as she stepped out, she was hit with the cold winter air. Slightly shivering, she walked back inside her room and grabbed her pink woolen blanket, wrapping it around herself, then stepped out to the balcony once again.

    "The stars sure are beautiful tonight," she gazed up, watching the stars twinkle in the cold night.

    She stood by the balcony for a good ten minutes, doing nothing but stargazing, and letting her mind run free from all thoughts. When she had had enough of the cold, wind that was gently blowing her brown hair, she stepped inside her room. Closing the balcony door, she tucked herself into bed.

    "The night is really ice cold today. Although I added three more woolen blankets, I still feel like I am freezing to death. At least winter is ending, and it will be summer soon."

    Tonight, she dreamt of the wounded man she had met two years ago after working for Ebony Chocolate Caf�� for the last four years. She wondered why she suddenly remembered him.. Perhaps it was because that fateful night was as cold as tonight.

 Chapter 87 - The Riddle Race Part 4

    "A deciduous tree!" they answered in unison.

    The anthousai clapped her hands and nodded.

    "Correct!"

    Astoria yelled in triumph, feeling a sense of relief that their answer was correct.

    "Here you go," the anthousai said, holding a piece of a puzzle.

    Astoria took it and thanked her. They stared at the puzzle piece, which had an image of a part of a plant. She put it in her belt bag and smiled.

    "We should get going since we agreed on spending thirty minutes on each location," Laojin said, staring at his watch.

    They nodded and bowed at the anthousai.

    "Thank you for your time," they told her, and she smiled at them.

    "Thank you for keeping me company, and I wish you well at the remaining locations of the riddle race. I hope you will continue to work this well in all the other locations. Your teamwork is really great."

    Astoria and the others stared at each other and smiled. Yeah, their teamwork was surprisingly great, making her happy because she wanted Nexi to get a good mark for this subject.

    "Bye!" the anthousai watched as the students waved goodbye at her and left the Future Garden of East Corrilt.

    When Astoria and her team stepped outside the Future Garden of East Corrilt, they stood next to the fairy and looked at the map.

    "We managed to finish within the time frame," Laojin said, staring at his watch.

    Davitt sighed and nodded.

    "I am glad," the gargoyle said, running his hands through his hair.

    "Now," they heard the fairy say, "The closest location to here is the Summerna Park."

    The fairy looked up from the map and pointed in the direction of the map.

    "If I am not mistaken," she said, pressing her fingers to her chin, "When I was sitting next to the cab driver in front, I saw the entrance to the park. I estimate that it should be a five-minute walk from here."

    Everyone nodded, and the fairy put the map away and held Astoria''s hand. The two began to walk away.

    "This way, boys," Laurelai exclaimed, ushering Laojin and Davitt to follow them.

    The guys exchanged glances and shrugged. They then followed behind Astoria and Laurelai, who were happily chatting away. Well, it was mostly Laurelai. She was amazed at all the shops they came across.

    "Look at that!" she pointed at a shop that was selling dresses, "We should come here tomorrow to look around and do a little shopping."

    Astoria did not really love to shop, especially since she wore jeans, a t-shirt, jacket, and sneakers for work. Because of that, she mostly had those kinds of clothes and did not bother shopping for girly clothes. She had a more tomboyish style, after all.

    "Yeah, we should," she said, nodding her head in agreement.

    Although she was not really keen on walking around to do some shopping, she did want to know more about this place. She wanted to try going to the different recreational venues.

    "Wow, they even have a huge cake shop," Laurelai''s mouth was salivating, "I would love to try some."

    She sighed, and they continued walking.

    "We are here," Astoria said as she read the entrance that had italicized text which read, ''Summerna Park.''

    They walked towards the entrance and noticed how there were flower patches situated in every corner. It was as if it was a botanical garden. The park was huge, and there were tables and benches lined up everywhere.

    Some couples and families were having picnics and enjoying the time they got to spend together. Children were running about, screaming and laughing. Different creatures were going about, enjoying the beautiful park. Trolls, witches, anthousai, treants, elves, dwarves, etc.

    "How are we supposed to find our anthousai in such a huge park?" Laojin groaned, bowing his head.

    Astoria scrunched her nose and came to a sudden realisation.

    "Hey guys," she said, getting everyone''s attention, "Do you not think that Miss Yalvina gave us the brochure for a reason?"

    The fairy took out the brochure and opened it to the page about Summerna Park.

    "Hm?" the fairy said, furrowing her brow, "You might just be on to something."

    The fairy read the brochure page.

    "What if every anthousai is situated at a famous spot within the location?" Astoria suggested, "Laurelai, turn to the page on the Future Garden of East Corrilt and tell me all the famous spots."

    The fairy nodded and turned to the page, and her eyes widened.

    "The pond!" the fairy exclaimed, looking up from the brochure and to Astoria.

    Her face lit up.

    "It says here that the pond is the most famous spot at the Future Garden of East Corrilt," the fairy read.

    She held up the brochure page and showed them, pointing at a picture of the pond.

    "As for this park," the fairy turned the pages of the brochure and skimmed what was said about the park. Her eyes were glued to something she had just landed upon.

    "It says here," she looked up at them, "that this park is famous for a hyacinth statue."

    Laojin tilted his head.

    "A statue?" Davitt asked.

    The fairy nodded her head.

    "Built a few dozen years ago, this group statue at the grand plaza is here to celebrate the peaceful life this region is known for and has upheld for so many years," the fairy showed them the picture of the hyacinth statue,

    "It is huge!" Laojin exclaimed as his eyes widened at the statue''s size, stated below the image.

    "It says here," Astoria bowed her head to read the text below the statue''s image, "that its position within this city is meant to represent the blossoming of both life and the city throughout all periods of time."

    She looked around to see if she could find any glimpse of the hyacinth statue. The fairy brought the page to her face and read on.

    "It was designed by a famous national artist who exquisitely captured the cultural history of the city," the fairy softly said, " She used a smooth style to convey her vision in this piece of art."

    Davitt was curious to see what the statue looked like in person.

    "Can anybody see the statue?" he asked as his eyes scanned the park as the team walked around.

    "Every element of the statue was crafted and created with high-quality materials from local suppliers," Laurelai read on while also scanning the park as they walked around, "ensuring it will be an integral part of this city for many generations more. Wow! That is amazing."

    She closed the brochure and put it away. Her teammates watched as the fairy ran up to an elderly elf couple.

    "Good afternoon," she greeted them with a smile on her face.

    "Oh, what a beautiful girl! Saleh, look!" the female elf said, adjusting her glasses.

    The fairy giggled, feeling giddy because of the compliment. The woman''s husband nodded.

    "Thank you, ma''am," the fairy said at the woman, "May I please ask you something?"

    The elderly couple smiled at her, and they nodded.

    "We are looking for the Hyacinth Statue," Laurelai told them, "But since we are new here, we got lost looking for it."

    "That is understandable," the female elf said, "This park is big after all."

    "The statue is just around the corner," the male elf said, adjusting his glasses, "Just walk straight and turn left once you reach the mango tree."

    "Yes, thank you very much for your assistance," Laurelai said as she bowed at them both.

    "It is our pleasure, dear," the female elf said.

    The elf suddenly stretched out her hands and wrapped them around the fairy''s hands.

    "Beautiful girl," Laurelai heard the female elf say, "Are you married, perhaps?"

    "Or do you have a boyfriend?" the male elf added, smiling at her.

    She pressed her lips together and shook her head, ''no.''

    The female elf smiled at her answer.

    "I have a son who is just as handsome as you are beautiful," she told the fairy, "Marrying someone as beautiful as you would make him so happy."

    The elf''s husband nodded vigorously. Meanwhile, Astoria and the others were watching the scene.

    "What in the world is going on there?" Astoria asked, tilting her head in confusion.

    "Beats me," Laojin shrugged, "But we are wasting time so-"

    Davitt began to walk to the fairy.

    "Ah," Laojin slumped his shoulders, "He did not listen to everything I wanted to say."

    Astoria narrowed her eyes at Laojin and crossed her arms. It was just the two of them as Davitt was now by the fairy''s side. Astoria cleared her throat, and the troll looked at her. He flinched upon seeing her skeptical expression.

    "W-what?" he stammered, backing away from her a bit, "W-hy are y-you giving me that look?"

    She tilted her head, her eyes glued to the gargoyle and fairy who were speaking to the elderly elf couple, and spoke.

    "You have been very cooperative since you joined this team," she said, causing him to flinch at how scary her tone was.

 Chapter 88 - The Riddle Race Part 5

    "W-what?" he stammered, backing away from her a bit, "W-why are y-you giving me that look?"

    She tilted her head, her eyes glued to the gargoyle and fairy who were speaking to the elderly elf couple, and said.

    "You have been very cooperative since you joined this team," she said, causing him to flinch at how scary her tone was.

    "W-what are you i-implying?" the troll asked her, scratching his cheek.

    "Oh nothing," Astoria shrugged and uncrossed her arms, "Just keep up this team player, is all I want to say. You try and sabotage this team, and I will make you pay."

    She emphasized the ''make you pay'' part. The troll gulped nervously, nodding his head vigorously in fear.

    ''Scary!'' the troll thought, breaking in a cold sweat, ''Why is Nexi suddenly so scary- argh!''

    "Good," Astoria smiled, tugging some loose strands of her blue-black wavy hair behind her ear.

    "You guys!" they both heard Laurelai scream, waving at them frantically, "Let''s go! We know where the Hyacinth Statue is."

    Astoria nodded and began walking towards Davitt and the fairy, Laojin following close behind her. The poor troll was still in shock from what Astoria had told him. He had noticed that something was off about Nexi ever since she returned to the academy. He heard countless rumors about how she was no longer afraid of Misty or her gang of bullies.

    He found it strange, not to mention scary, how Nexi''s personality and overall vibe just took a whole 360�� turn. She came back confident, temperamental, and strong. He found that quite amusing. Was it even possible for someone who was as timid as a bird and as soulless as a doll to be that happy and confident in themselves? The team walked for a few minutes and reached the hyacinth statue.

    "Wow?" Laurelai exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air, "The statue is huge!"

    "And look," Davitt pointed to a lady wearing a white t-shirt with a hyacinth flower on the front, "We found our riddler."

    They walked to the anthousai and found Misty''s team there bickering.

    "I freaking told you that the answer was a shadow!" one of Misty''s group members yelled, "But no one was listening to me - argh!"

    Another group member answered, her jaw clenched from anger.

    "Well, maybe if you spoke loud enough for all of us to hear," the female teammate stated, "We would have taken your answer, but nooo, you mumble to yourself like we have extremely great hearing. We''re not the Panotti!"

    (Note: According to Wikipedia, the Panotti are a mythical race of people who possess large ears covering their entire bodies.)

    "I never said-"

    "Would you two shut the hell up!" Misty yelled, enraged as her fists shook with anger, "Let us go. We are done here."

    As Misty turned around, she came face-to-face with Astoria''s team. Astoria smirked and crossed her arms.

    ''What great teamwork,'' she thought sarcastically.

    "Oh, it is you guys," Misty crossed her arms and crinkled her nose in disgust.

    Laurelai rolled her eyes.

    "Your team has such amazing teamwork," the gargoyle class president said sarcastically.

    Everyone stared at him with widened eyes. They were shocked that he was the one to say such a thing. Astoria was not as surprised as the rest of them. After all, gargoyles are usually chaotic evil. They are cunning, extremely malevolent, and sentient.

    "Shut it, gargoyle boy!" Misty hissed and walked away from them, bumping her shoulder roughly against the gargoyles.

    Davitt turned to face Misty, whose back could be seen a few meters away from them.

    "Wow," the fairy said, after a moment of silence, "I did not know you could speak so...so..."

    She could not find the word to describe it.

    "Sarcastically with a hint of malevolence?" Astoria suggested, tilting her head at the fairy.

    Laurelai gulped and nodded.

    "Let''s go," Davitt said, ignoring what they said to him.

    Laojin and the fairy exchanged glances, and both shrugged. They followed behind Davitt, and Astoria smiled, walking close to them.

    "You must be another team from Leararts Academy," the anthousai said with a smile upon seeing them stand in front of her.

    Astoria nodded, and the anthousai bowed at her and the fairy. The two girls exchanged confused glances.

    "It is an honour that I get to meet you, princess Nexi," the anthousai smiled at her and then turned to the fairy, "and you too, fairy princess of the Summer Court."

    The two girls bowed back, and the anthousai opened her mouth to speak.

    "Fortunately here," the anthousai said, "There is only a riddle and no challenge."

    Laojin sighed in relief.

    "Are you ready for your riddle?" the anthousai asked them, and they nodded.

    "Here is your riddle," the anthousai''s tone grew serious, "I am at the beginning of time and part of past, present, and future. I am part of history, but not of here and now. In a moment, you will find me if you know what I am. What am I?"

    "The beginning of time," Astoria mumbled, pressing her lips together.

    "Part of past, present, and future," Laojin added, biting his lip as he thought of what that could mean.

    "Part of history, but not of here and now," Laurelai twirled a strand of her red locks.

    Davitt was silent as he also tried to figure out the answer. After a while, he had some theories.

    "What is at the beginning of time?" he asked his teammates as he turned to face them.

    "Well," Astoria said, clasping her hands behind her body, "If you are asking about that figuratively, then the letter ''T'' would be the answer?"

    Laojin nodded.

    "When you think about," the troll said, "The letter ''T'' is also found in the words past, present, and future."

    "And in the word history," the fairy added, nodding her head.

    "And it is in the word moment'' so shall we go with the letter T and see if that is the answer?" Davitt, as the team''s leader, asked his teammates.

    They all nodded.

    "Go for it," Astoria said, "I am pretty sure that is the answer."

    "I agree," Laojin and Laurelai said in unison, causing them to quickly glance at each other and then look back at the gargoyle class president.

    Davitt nodded and faced the anthousai, who was waiting patiently for their answer.

    "We will go with the answer, the letter T," he told her.

    "Are you sure?" the anthousai asked him, "Is that your final answer?"

    She earned a nod from all of them and smiled.

    "All right then," she clapped her hands together, "Your answer is..."

    ''Ah,'' Astoria thought, internally sighing, ''Waiting for her to tell us if we are correct or not is kind of suspenseful. It is like we are in a game show with ''Who wants to be a millionaire'' type of vibes.''

    "Correct!" the anthousai exclaimed, clapping her hands and smiling.

    "Yes!" the team exclaimed, some members clenching their hands above their heads.

    "May I know whether this is your first location or not?" the anthousai asked them.

    "This is our second location," Laurelai said, holding two fingers in the air.

    "And what puzzle piece did you get? May you show me so that I can give you the correct one?" the anthousai smiled.

    Astoria opened her belt bag and grabbed the puzzle piece. She held it in her hand and showed it to the anthousai, who nodded. The anthousai reached into her handbag and pulled out their puzzle piece.

    "Here you go," she said, holding out their puzzle piece in her tiny hands.

    Astoria grabbed it and thanked her. She then put the piece in her belt bag.

    "Wow," Laojin said to Davitt, "We finished solving this riddle in less than ten minutes. That is awesome!"

    Laurelai nodded her head in agreement, her green eyes showing a hint of happiness at their excellent teamwork.

    "Thank you," Davitt said to the anthousai, "We will get going now."

    He bowed at her, and the rest do the team did the same. They then walked away, and the fairy took out the map.

    "Ah," the fairy said, skipping as she walked, "This is so much fun!"

    She felt giddy and thought she would burst into happiness.

    "Okay, on a serious note," she stopped skipping and paused, staring at the map in her hands.

    "The next stop should be the Bookends bookstore," the fairy told them, "as it is the closest to the park. Someone hail a cab."

    Laojin did as the fairy said when he saw a blue can heading their way. The cab stopped in front of them, and they all sat inside. Astoria took out the transport card, and the cab driver asked where they were going.

    "To Bookends Bookstore, please," Laurelai told the driver, "And make it snappy."

    The cab driver nodded and handed the swiping machine to Astoria, who swiped the transport card. She gave back the swiping machine to the driver, who put it away.. The driver turned the radio on and began to drive to the said location.

 Chapter 89 - The Riddle Race Part 6

    "To Bookends Bookstore, please," Laurelai told the driver, "And make it snappy."

    The cab driver nodded and handed the swiping machine to Astoria, who swiped the transport card. She gave back the swiping machine to the driver, who put it away. The driver turned the radio on and began to drive to the said location.

    "The brochure does not talk about any famous spot or spots at the bookstore, so I am guessing we will have to find our riddler ourselves," Laurelai told them as she stared at the rearview mirror so that she could look at their faces.

    "Does that mean the Bookends Bookstore is not as big?" Laojin asked, turning his face to the driver, "Sir, is the bookstore not as big as a library?"

    The can driver looked at the rearview mirror and nodded.

    "Yes," he told them, "It is a relatively small bookstore, but what makes it special is that it is the longest standing bookstore in all of Ashen. It has been there in the same place for more than two hundred years."

    "Two hundred!?" Laojin exclaimed, blinking his eyes rapidly as he could not fathom what he had just been told.

    "Yes," the cab driver smirked, "Pretty amazing, huh?"

    Astoria nodded.

    ''That is more than amazing,'' she thought, looking at the buildings she passed by as the car drove past.

    When they arrived at their location, they stepped out of the cab and thanked the driver. As the cab drove away, they turned around and faced the bookstore. It was a small bookstore and, from the outside, looked more like an antique shop than a bookstore.

    "Bookends Bookstore," Laurelai read the plaque, "Looks more like an antique shop to me."

    Astoria nodded in agreement.

    "Let''s go," Davitt said, and they walked to the bookstore and stepped inside.

    The inside of the bookstore was both neat and tidy. Books were piled up on ebony wooden shelves. Tags were located on the top of the shelves to indicate what type of books one was looking for.

    There were a variety of book genres ranging from nonfiction to fiction, romance to drama, humour to horror, etc. Astoria looked around the bookstore, staring at the variety of books.

    "There she is," Laojin looked at the owner.

    The owner of Bookends Bookstore was wearing the white t-shirt they were looking for.

    "Well, that was fast," Astoria said, and they walked to the owner.

    Astoria passed a group of young adults she only recognized as Nexi''s classmates because she remembered their faces.

    "Looks like another team just finished," Davitt said as he nodded at one of the other team''s teammates with whom he was acquainted.

    "Good luck to you, ladies and gents," the other team''s teammate said to Astoria as the teams passed each other.

    They carried on walking to the owner, and the owner smiled upon seeing them.

    "Hello," the owner greeted them with a wave.

    "Whoah," Laurelai heard Laojin breathe out.

    And ''whoah'' indeed. The owner was none other than a young female human who was probably in her twenties. She had large light blue eyes and short black hair.

    "Hi," Astoria greeted back, "We are here for the Riddle Race."

    The owner nodded and opened her mouth to speak.

    "Ah, I see. Well, before I give you your riddle, you have to pass the challenge first," the owner said, holding her index finger in the air.

    "What is our challenge?" the fairy asked her.

    The owner fisted her hand in front of her body and looked at them.

    "A simple game of Rock paper scissors," the owner stated.

    Astoria and Laurelai exchanged glances.

    "Well, that should not be too hard," Laojin said, "I am great at the game."

    "Good to hear," the owner nodded, "It will be a one-on-one type of game, so I will go against each of you."

    Davitt and the rest nodded.

    "If just one of you manages to win, then the game is over," the owner said.

    "What?" Laurelai''s eyes widened, "So let''s say you played against me first, and if I win, then that''s it? The game is over? You will not go against my teammates?"

    The owner nodded, and Astoria pressed her lips together.

    ''Is that not too easy?'' she thought, staring at the owner with a skeptical expression.

    "If that is the case," Laojin said, stepping in front of the owner who had them move somewhere else.

    Another employee was currently taking over her post while she gave the challenges and riddles for the Riddle Race.

    "Then I will go first," the troll pointed to himself.

    There were a fair number of people within the bookstore. Some were reading, others were looking for books. It was a rather pleasant bookstore with a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.

    "Okay," the owner smiled, "Are you ready, young man?"

    Laojin nodded, and the owner fisted her hand in front of her.

    "Rock," the owner began, staring at their fisted hands, "paper... scissors."

    With that, Laojin had pulled out rock while the owner chose paper.

    "I win," the owner said with a smile.

    "Oh man," Laojin groaned as he stepped back for the next team member''s turn.

    He slumped his shoulders, angry and sad that he lost the game after discussing how great he was at playing rock, paper, scissors.

    Laurelai was next, and she stood in front of the owner.

    ''I have to win this,'' the fairy thought, ''for my teammates and because that darn Davitt keeps staring at the owner with subtle heart eyes. I mean, I get that she is beautiful, but it makes me jealous- argh!''

    "Are you ready?" the owner asked her, causing her to snap out of her rant.

    The fairy nodded and fisted her hand, ready to win this.

    ''I will pull out scissors,'' the fairy thought, her green eyes showing a glint of determination to win the game.

    She saw the owner suddenly smirk.

    "Rock, paper, scissors," the owner said as she pulled out rock while the fairy pulled out scissors.

    "Damn it," the fairy mumbled.

    Laurelai stood next to Astoria and crossed her arms. Astoria smirked upon seeing the fairy suddenly pout.

    "Why are you pouting?" Astoria asked, letting out a short chuckle as she stared at the fairy, "Is it because you lost?"

    "I am not pouting," Laurelai said, staring back at her, and sighed.

    "If you say so, Miss I-am-not-pouting," Astoria teased, causing the fairy to give her a ''hmph.''

    Astoria smiled and looked back at the game that was happening in front of her. It was now Davitt''s turn.

    "Rock, paper, scissors," the owner said.

    "Ah," the fairy breathed out as her body drooped from sadness, "We lost again."

    Davitt sighed and walked away from the owner. He had pulled out paper while the owner decided to go with scissors. The gargoyle class president stood next to Laojin.

    "It was as if she could read my mind," Davitt said, earning a nod from the troll, Laojin.

    "You felt that too?" the fairy asked, quickly turning her head to face the class president.

    "You too?" Laojin pointed at Laurelai, who nodded.

    Astoria and Laurelai stood in front of Laojin and Davitt, their backs turned to the owner, who tilted her head in confusion at the sudden team meeting the students were having.

    "When I thought of what I was going to put out," Laojin whispered, "It was as if she was reading my mind."

    "Yeah, me too," the fairy added, nodding vigorously, "I felt this sudden magical energy as if someone was going into my mind."

    "If that is the case," Davitt said, tilting his head to the side to look at Astoria, "then Nexi, you need to clear your mind. You could play a truck on her and fool her."

    "Wait, but if you are telling me this, then will she just not read all of your minds to find out what we discussed?" Astoria asked, raising her eyebrows, "If that is the case, then even our discussion is leaked."

    Astoria sighed, but she knew what she had to do.

    "Clearing my mind is possible," she told them.

    They nodded, and she turned back I face the owner. She walked to the owner and stood in front of her.

    "That was a quick discuss you guys had back there," the owner grinned from ear to ear, "Anyway, shall we start?"

    Astoria nodded and let out a deep breath as she tried to calm her heart, soul, and mind.

    ''Okay, you can do this,'' Astoria closed her eyes, ''You. Can. Do. This.''

    This was their final game and chance to win the challenge. If they lose now, they may have to play a different game which may be too time-consuming or even difficult.

    ''No, we cannot afford to try and new game,'' she thought, shaking her head as she fisted her hand in front of her.

    "Are you ready?" the owner asked her, and she nodded, her cobalt eyes blazing with determination.

    "Yes, I am ready," she told the wonderful who also fisted her hand and placed it in front of her body.

 Chapter 90 - The Riddle Race Part 7

    "Are you ready?" the owner asked her, and she nodded, her cobalt eyes blazing with determination.

    "Yes, I am ready," she told the owner, who also fisted her hand and placed it in front of her body.

    It would not be easy for Astoria to clear her mind, but she was determined to do so. She wanted to win this game and get past this challenge. She wanted to not let the team repeat the challenge because, who knows, the owner might just change this challenge into a complicated one which would cause them to spend too much time here.

    Her team wanted to be part of the top three teams to finish the Riddle Race, and she was sure that, although no one said it, they wanted to come out first. She would do whatever it takes to ensure that Nexi''s marks and academic standing improve. After all, she did say that she wanted to help the princess sort out her life.

    ''Okay, let''s do this,'' she thought as she took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heartbeat.

    "Rock-" she heard the owner say, causing her to press her lips together.

    ''This is for Nexi,'' Astoria thought as she stared at her fisted hand.

    "-paper," the owner continued.

    ''I can do this,'' Astoria''s cobalt eyes ignited with a strong sense of determination.

    "-scissors," the owner finished as she changed her fist to a paper.

    ''Now,'' Astoria thought as she left her hand as it was, a fist symbolizing rock.

    The owner was flustered and sighed.

    "We won!" Astoria heard the fairy yell.

    Laurelai ran to Astoria''s side and gave her a hug.

    "You did it! You did it, Nexi!" the fairy yelled cheerily.

    Astoria smiled and nodded.

    "Let''s keep our voices down," Astoria said to the fairy, "since this is a bookstore and some creatures are reading. We do not want to disturb them, right?"

    The fairy pulled away from the hug and was flustered.

    "Oh, right," the fairy nervously laughed, "Sorry, I got too excited."

    Laojin smiled and fist-pumped the air.

    "We won," he said happily.

    Davitt sighed in relief, happy that they won and that Astoria could clear her mind.

    "Well, you won," the owner said, running her fingers through her short, black hair.

    Astoria nodded and smiled at the owner.

    "Let me not waste anymore of your time then," the owner said, clasping her hands in front of her body, "I shall tell you your riddle."

    Astoria and the rest of her teammates nodded and listened attentively to the owner.

    "It is something so magical. It comes to you every night," the owner stated, "It takes you to places without actually moving you. To see it, you need to close your eyes first. What is it?"

    Davitt ushered his teammates to gather together for discussion.

    "I was gonna say the answer is the moon since she said that it comes to you every night, but you cannot exactly see the moon when your eyes are closed," Laurelai told Davitt.

    "And the moon does not exactly take you to places," Laojin added.

    Astoria and Davitt nodded.

    "Hmm," Astoria stroked her chin, "Something magical that happens at night?"

    "That only happens when you close your eyes?" Davitt pressed his lips together as he thought of the answer.

    "Ah. I got it!" the fairy said, grinning from ear to ear.

    "I think I got it too," Astoria said, nodding her head.

    Laojin and Davitt stared at the two women.

    "A dream," the two women said in unison as they stared at each other.

    Laurelai nodded vigorously when she found out that her best friend was thinking the same answer as her. That they came to the same conclusion.

    "That is right, Nexi," the fairy said, "When you close your eyes at night, you dream. Dreams take you to places without having to move your body. You see dreams when you close your eyes, and it truly is magical."

    "Yeah. You both are right," Davitt agreed, with Laojin nodding in agreement as well.

    Davitt turned to the owner and told her the answer.

    "The answer is a dream," the gargoyle class president said.

    The owner smiled and nodded, clapping her hands in joy.

    "Yes," the owner said, her blue eyes twinkling under the light coming from outside, "That is correct. May I see which puzzle piece you got so far so that I may give you the correct one."

    Davitt nodded, and Astoria immediately showed the owner the puzzle piece. The owner smiled and took out a puzzle piece from a bag placed on the table next to them.

    "Here you go," the owner gave Davitt the puzzle piece, who then gave it to Astoria, who placed it safely in her belt bag.

    "M-may I ask you a question, ma''am?" Laojin asked, seeming nervous at talking to the beautiful owner.

    The owner stared at him and nodded.

    "Maybe I am just being paranoid, or I am wrong but did you read...Did you read-"

    "Did I read your mind when we played the game?" the owner cut him off and smiled.

    Laojin nodded, and the owner crossed her arms, examining the troll disguised as a human in front of her. She nodded, and everyone gasped. Their eyes widened at the shocking information they had at first speculated may be true, that the owner could read minds.

    "Yes," she told the troll, "Although I am a human, I have been studying magic for many years, and I used a mind-reading spell which enables me to read my opponent''s mind."

    "Wow," the fairy stepped up and stood next to Laojin, "No wonder I felt like someone had steeped into my mind."

    Davitt stood next to Laurelai.

    "But isn''t using magic against us cheating?" the gargoyle asked, raising an eyebrow, "I mean, when you think about it, it is not fair to us, students."

    The owner laughed softly.

    "Just because you guys are not allowed to use magic does not mean that we, the assigned helpers of this Riddle Race, cannot," the owner shrugged, "Besides, this was also to test your thinking. To see if you could be able to use your senses or intuition to pick up that something was off."

    "I see," Astoria said as she remained in her spot, away from the owner.

    "Yeah, but you did a pretty great job at figuring out that I could read your minds," the owner nodded, "Although, I am sure at first you were just speculating that I was doing so."

    "Yes," Laojin said, "We were not sure if you really did read our minds, so we just speculated that you did and came up with a strategy."

    "No wonder I could not read princess Nexi''s mind," the owner sighed, "When I tried to, it felt like a crazy, thick wall was built around her mind, so it caught me by surprise."

    The owner then leaned to the right, and a smile appeared on her face.

    "Overall, congratulations to you," she told them, "Seems like I have another team to deal with, so I will be on my way."

    The owner bowed and left them. They all sighed and looked at each other.

    "How is our time?" Davitt asked Laojin.

    "Pretty good," the troll answered, "We finished in less than twenty minutes. The time right now is currently ten past twelve, so we best better get going."

    Laurelai nodded in agreement.

    "Yeah. We just have two more places left, so let''s go and not waste any more time," with that, the fairy turned around and headed for the exit of the Bookends Bookstore.

    The others looked at each other and nodded. They followed behind the fairy who had pulled out the map. When they stepped outside, the fairy turned to them.

    "It seems that the Anthousai Museum is close to the Heavenly Spruce Forest," the fairy told them, scanning the map, "They are both at an equal distance from the Bookends Bookstore."

    "Then," Laojin raised his hand to speak, "How about we go to the Heavenly Spruce Forest first and end with the Anthousai Museum?"

    Astoria nodded.

    "Fine by me," she said in agreement.

    "I am also fine with that," Laurelai smiled.

    "Yeah, me too," Davitt said as he hailed a cab.

    Laojin smiled. He felt like he was appreciated by this team. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of belonging. Like he mattered to someone. Being in Misty''s gang was nowhere near what he thought it would be. When he joined her gang, he thought he would be happy. That he would feel like he belonged.

    However, the feelings were the complete opposite of what he expected. Misty never really cared about anyone''s opinion. She did what she wanted, whether people liked it or not. Also, it was not like he enjoyed bullying princess Nexi. He hated it. He hated what Misty did to princess Nexi.

    He knew that Misty bullied the princess because she was jealous of her. Because the princess was gullible, a total pushover, and nowhere near being outspoken. He would watch as the princess said nothing to Misty, who bullied her.. It was suffocating for him to see someone as beautiful and friendly as princess Nexi be bullied.

 Chapter 91 - The Riddle Race Part 8

    Laojin smiled. He felt like he was appreciated by this team. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of belonging. Like he mattered to someone. Being in Misty''s gang was nowhere near what he thought it would be. When he joined her gang, he thought he would be happy. That he would feel like he belonged.

    However, the feelings were the complete opposite of what he expected. Misty never really cared about anyone''s opinion. She did what she wanted, whether people liked it or not. Also, it was not like he enjoyed bullying princess Nexi. He hated it. He hated what Misty did to princess Nexi.

    He knew that Misty bullied the princess because she was jealous of her. Because the princess was gullible, a total pushover, and nowhere near being outspoken. He would watch as the princess said nothing to Misty, who bullied her. It was suffocating for him to see someone as beautiful and friendly as princess Nexi be bullied.

    "Let''s go!" Laurelai yelled happily as a cab stopped in front of them.

    "To the Heavenly Spruce Forest, please," the fairy told the cab driver, who nodded.

    The trip to the forest was quiet as the only sound that was heard in the cab was the radio. Astoria was wrapped up in her own world as she remembered that she had a ball coming up this weekend.

    She sighed. She did not know any other high-class citizens or royal families except the Kuba family. She was nervous about how the day or night would be. When she goes back to the palace, she has to ask the king to give her brief info about the people, or in this case, creatures who would attend the ball.

    ''Ah, the engagement announcement,'' she bit her lip as she stared at the buildings they passed as the cab drove.

    How would the public take Nexi''s engagement to the royal, kitsune prince? Would they be happy for her? Angry maybe? Jealous even? She knew Naida was jealous and believed that the princess'' older sister was up to something.

    If it was something terrible, something that would harm Nexi in any way, shape, or form, she was going to stop her no matter what. She turned to look at her teammates and secretly smiled. Again, Astoria was glad that Misty was not in Nexi''s team, or else she would punch her or something if she got on her nerves. That would not be good for Nexi. Not. At. All.

    "We have arrived, fellow teammates," she had Laurelai declare, causing her to snap out of her thoughts, "Welcome to the Heavenly Spruce Forest."

    They stepped out of the cab, and Astoria watched as it drove away.

    "Wow," Laojin said, and Astoria turned to face the marveling forest that Miss Yalvina had told them about.

    "Well," Davitt said, "What are we waiting for?"

    "Exactly," Laurelai added, "Let''s make haste. No time to waste."

    "Ooh, you rhymed," Laojin said, causing the fairy to laugh.

    Astoria smiled, and they walked to the entrance of the gate. There was a little reception area where they had to fill in their names and get tags that would allow them to enter the forest. Davitt passed the tags to the rest of his teammates, and they put them on.

    "All right," the receptionist anthousai said as she grabbed a piece of paper, "These are rules you need to follow when you enter the forest. Any breaking of the rules will result in you getting kicked out of the forest."

    Astoria and the rest nodded.

    "Please also note that there are cameras within the forest, so you are being recorded," the anthousai said with a wry smile, "This is a very sacred forward to this city, so I would appreciate it if you follow the rules written on that piece of paper I just gave you. If you understand, you may proceed."

    With that, she pressed a green button, and the aluminum gate opened. They bowed and thanked her and walked past the gate. Stepping inside the forest felt like stepping into a park that had luscious trees, exotic flowers, and the sound of wildlife all mashed into one.

    "It is so beautiful," the fairy said, twirling in glee.

    "Yeah," Astoria nodded, "No wonder the anthousai said it is sacred. For some reason, I can feel some kind of earthly essence."

    "Oh, that?" Davitt said as he began following the stone path that was provided as a pathway for people to use to navigate through the forest safely, "That essence is an earth magic source."

    "Ah, so that''s it?" Astoria nodded in understanding.

    "Which path do we take?" Laurelai came to a stop.

    There were three stone paths in front of them. She took out the brochure and read that the famous spot within the Heavenly Spruce Forest was the Cove of East Corrilt, a swamp in the middle of the Heavenly Spruce Forest.

    "This brochure does not tell me which road to take among the three I''d I want to see this swamp," the fairy pouted.

    "What about the page with the rules that anthousai gave us?" Astoria asked, "There must be something there."

    The fairy held the said page in her hand and saw that the first page had all the rules listed on it. The second page had a map of the Heavenly Spruce Forest.

    "Great thinking," Laojin said as he noticed the map of the Heavenly Spruce Forest, "There is a map on the second page."

    "Do you see the swamp on the map?" Davitt asked, standing next to Astoria as Laurelai and Laojin scanned the map.

    "Found it!" Laojin exclaimed.

    Just then, a few citizens walked past them and out of the forest. Looks like they were done with their tour of the forest. They bowed at Astoria as they walked past, and she smiled, doing the same.

    "On the map, it shows that the second stone road leads to the swamp," Laurelai said, looking up from the map and at Astoria and Davitt.

    "How''s our time, Laojin?" Astoria asked.

    Laojin looked at his watch.

    "It is half-past twelve," he said.

    "Let''s get going then," Astoria said and began to walk next to Laurelai.

    The guys followed behind them and watched as Laurelai could not keep her head facing forward. The fairy was overly excited, turning her head in all directions as she scanned the different trees and exotic flowers they passed.

    "It is a shame one cannot take pictures here," the fairy said.

    "Yeah. Too bad we are not allowed to use our phones," Laojin nodded.

    "No, not that," the fairy said, shaking her head ''no.''

    "I am guessing one of the rules is that no pictures are to be taken?" Astoria said, raising an eyebrow to the fairy, who nodded.

    "No pictures, no food, no loud noises, no smoking or bringing in any type or form of alcohol," the fairy began listing the rules as they followed the path, "No using magic that may endanger any plant and animal life."

    The fairy sighed.

    "These are just some of the rules to follow," she told them, "There are plenty more written on this page."

    She clapped the page and sighed again.

    "It shows how really sacred this forest is," Astoria said, "After all, didn''t Miss Yalvina say that this forest helps with the plant life of the whole kingdom?"

    "Yeah," Astoria and Laurelai heard Davitt say behind them, "If this forest is damaged, the whole kingdom''s plant and animal life would be in danger. That would also affect a creature''s magical energy, especially if their affinity is or is mostly related to earth."

    They had been walking for about ten minutes now, and the fairy was getting tired.

    "Man," she breathed out, "This forest is huge. I mean, is it just me, or does it feel like we have been walking for ages? How long have we been walking?"

    "Ten minutes," Laojin replied, "We have been walking for ten minutes now."

    Astoria and Laurelai sighed in unison. It was not as if Astoria was tired. In fact, she was far from tired since she was used to walking and running long distances in her line of work. She just could not believe that she was in a forest. A whole damn forest and that it was taking them so long to get to the Cove of East Corrilt.

    "Then," Davitt said, stopping in his tracks, "How about we take a little rest?"

    He pointed at a nearby table with two benches surrounding it on opposite sides. Everyone nodded their head vigorously and ran to the bench. They all sat around the table and sighed in relief.

    "My poor feet," the fairy mumbled as she stretched her legs.

    Laojin and Astoria laughed in unison.

    "It cannot be that bad?" Davitt asked the fairy, who pouted.

    "Of course it is," she told him, "I am not used to walking for so long in such a hilly, zigzagging, and twisted road."

 Chapter 92 - Special 2nd Novel #3

    Novel Title: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Hi readers, I just wanted to share the third chapter of my new novel here so that I could be able to reach a larger audience. Before I start the chapter, I just want to thank everyone who has been reading my novel , Princess of the Silver Ocean, up till now. Your support means so much for me and I am honestly truly grateful.

    The novel is going to come to an end soon and I hope that you will continue to love all my characters, good or bad, and support them all. This second novel of mine is very precious to me and I am having so much fun writing it and showcasing characters from different backgrounds. Every character is special to me and I hope that you will be able to connect with at least one character.

    Ah, also please note that I will take down the chapters of my 2nd novel soon from this novel since they are not related at all. Like I said earlier, I am only posting these chapters here for a larger audience. I will, however, provide you sunshines with special chapters related to this story very, very soon.

    I have provided one special chapter so far which dealt with Astoria''s life as a cop. I thoroughly enjoyed writing that special chapter and I hope you enjoyed it too.

    Posting the chapters of my second novel here will end soon so please do bear with me *bows head*. Posting the chapters here has also been  a huge help on promoting The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure .Thank you once again for your amazing support and understanding. Stay healthy and blessed and drink lots of water for clear skin and joy lol.

    Okay, I am done talking now lol. Enjoy this 3rd chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Evil, Inc.

    Lai''s alarm was ringing, so it must be 6 AM already. She woke up and went to take a hot shower. After showering, she began to get ready. She sat by her brown dressing table and tied her hair in a high pony, adding light makeup to her face and some lip balm on her naturally pink lips. She wore a silver blazer and pants business suit with a white t-shirt, which she had purchased three years ago but still looked as good as new.

    She put on her black kitten heels and strolled to the kitchen. She was immediately hit with the aroma of bacon, eggs, sausages, and toast. Her nose was delighted by the tantalising aroma, making her almost salivate like a dog that was just given a bone after being starved for a few days.

    "Wow, mother!" Lai exclaimed, walking towards the kitchen table and taking a seat, "What''s the special occasion?"

    She grinned and licked her lips as her mother placed a plate of delicious food on the table in front of her. Her mother smiled at her and kissed her right cheek.

    "Don''t be silly," she said with a genuine smile, "This is to wish you luck on your interview. Can''t go looking like a starved human being."

    She laughed at her mother''s statement and nodded, grabbing her knife and fork, ready to eat. She was so happy to see her mother smile again, even if her smile was for a brief while.

    "Thanks for the food!" she exclaimed before digging in like a hungry wolf.

    Her mother washed the dishes in the sink while Lai ate. Eating her food in silence, the sound of dishes was the only sound heard in the kitchen. When her mother finished with the dishes, she walked to her bedroom to grab her handbag. She then took her daughter''s plate after seeing that she was done eating.

    "No, mother. I''ll wash it," Lai said, taking the plate from her and walking to the sink.

    "But you might mess your suit," her mother said, her black eyes eyeing her daughter.

    Lai playfully pouted.

    "Oh, mum. I''m not a kid. I''ll be careful," she told her mother, "Have you already eaten?"

    Her mother nodded, and she carefully washed her plate. When she turned around, she found her mother placing her lunchbox in her handbag for work. Her mother grabbed another lunchbox and put it in Lai''s tote bag.

    "Thanks, mum," Lai smiled with her eyes and mouth.

    "I''m not sure what time I will be back tonight, so just in case I don''t make it by 7 PM," her mother began, "Just order pizza or cook something for your dad and yourself."

    Lai gladly nodded at the thought of ordering pizza. Her mother worked as a nurse in one of the country''s private hospitals, Golden Valley Private Hospital (GVPH), about an hour away from where they lived. Sometimes, as a nurse in one of the country''s private hospitals, she would return home the next day due to how busy the hospital was.

    "Bye, sweetie. All the best on your job interview," her mother said, giving her a soft peck on the cheek.

    "Bye, mother! All the best for work today," she said, waving goodbye to her mother as she stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

    Lai grabbed her white tote bag and let out a long sigh to calm and ready herself.

    "Okay, Lai. You can do this."

    She rubbed her hands together and walked to the door. Wrapping her hand around the doorknob, she turned it, and just as she was about to leave, the voice of her father made her freeze.

    "You''re dressed to impress this morning," she heard him groggily say.

    She did not turn around, not wanting to see his face this morning.

    "Job interview, I''m guessing?" he sighed, his face holding a sour expression.

    She squinted her eyes shut and told herself to just walk away before she said something she''d regret. So, she walked out of the house, quickly closing the door behind her and hailing an oncoming cab. She promptly sat inside the cab and told the cab driver her destination. She fanned herself with her hand as her face had turned red in anger and irritation.

    The cab driver watched her using the rearview mirror and wondered who made such a beautiful lady angry early in the morning. When she arrived at her destination ten minutes later, she thanked the cab driver and stepped out. She turned around and scanned the building of her father''s former workplace. Many candidates were walking into the bank. Some were memorising their lines. Others looked confident, while some did not.

    She let out a long breath of air and clutched her tote bag. When she stepped inside, she was greeted by an employee who gave her her name tag. She clipped her name tag to her suit and walked to the waiting area. There she saw a large number of candidates waiting their turn.

    "Mr. Hou Shi!" a name was called out by an employee.

    The person to who the name belonged abruptly stood up, adjusted his tie, and headed to the interview room. When he had passed Lai, she noticed that his brow was beaded with sweat. The man was clearly nervous, not that she blamed him, even she was nervous. Her heartbeat was quickening, and she began to bite her lip, a habit she had whenever she was nervous or anxious.

    "Mr. Jiang Bo," the employee began calling out more names, "Miss Luo Shufen and Miss Lai Xiulan."

    She flinched when she heard her name as she did not know she would be interviewed so soon. She gulped, told herself to calm down, and lifted her head. She stood tall and walked to the interview room. She noticed that the interviewers were interviewing four candidates simultaneously. The candidates sat down, and the interview began. Lai answered her questions in the best but simple way possible. She exuded confidence, humility, and intelligence.

    She was the perfect candidate to proceed to the next phase of the job selection. Everything was going well for her as the interviewers happily nodded at her responses. Well, that was until one of the interviewers whispered to his colleague a few minutes later. The colleague''s eyes widened in shock, and he stared at Lai in disbelief for a brief moment, then whispered to the other colleague sitting next to her. Lai felt her heart start rapidly racing again. Once the interview was done, candidates would receive an SMS immediately if they made it to the next round.

    "We regret to inform you," she began to read the message on her phone as she stepped out of the bank, "that, unfortunately, you are not the individual we are looking for. We wish you luck in your future endeavours."

    She clicked her tongue, her face flushing red in both irritation and anger. It''s not like she was surprised this happened. She knew the only reason she failed was because of her father''s record of misconduct.. She sighed and hailed a cab and headed to Ebony Chocolate Caf��.

 Chapter 93 - Special 2nd Novel #4

    Novel Title: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Hi readers, I just wanted to share the fourth chapter of my new novel here so that I could be able to reach a larger audience. Before I start the chapter, I just want to thank everyone who has been reading my novel , Princess of the Silver Ocean, up till now. Your support means so much for me and I am honestly truly grateful.

    The novel is going to come to an end soon and I hope that you will continue to love all my characters, good or bad, and support them all. This second novel of mine is very precious to me and I am having so much fun writing it and showcasing characters from different backgrounds. Every character is special to me and I hope that you will be able to connect with at least one character.

    Ah, also please note that I will take down the chapters of my 2nd novel soon from this novel since they are not related at all. Like I said earlier, I am only posting these chapters here to attract a larger audience. I will, however, provide you sunshines with special chapters related to this transmigration novel very, very soon.

    I have provided one special chapter so far which dealt with Astoria''s life as a cop. I thoroughly enjoyed writing that special chapter and I hope you enjoyed it too. So, more special chapters on the different characters you love, or hate, will be provided. The novel will probably end next month, if not then maybe in the later part of April.

    Posting the chapters of my second novel here will end soon so please do bear with me *bows head*. Posting the chapters here has also been  a huge help on promoting The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure .Thank you once again for your amazing support and understanding.

    Stay healthy and blessed and drink lots of water for clear skin and joy lol. Okay, I am done talking now lol. Enjoy the fourth chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Fate Gives Second Chances

    "That''s so prejudiced!" Wen Yazhu fumed, slamming her fist on the counter, causing some customers to look at her.

    "I know, right," Lai sighed, making an Iced Americano for a customer.

    Wen Yazhu was her colleague at the Ebony Chocolate Caf��, the other female employee, and her best friend.

    "Just when you asked the boss to give you time off to go attend that darn, evil, prejudiced interview," Wen continued, ringing the customers'' order.

    Lai nodded and handed the customer their Iced Americano.

    "It''s frustrating," she bit her lip, "But what''s done is done. I should have listened to my mother''s advice and thought twice about going for that interview."

    "Could I please have two Vanillabean Latte''s," a female customer asked, grabbing her phone to scan the QR code.

    Wen Yazhu smiled at the customer.

    "Two Vanillabean Latte''s coming right up," she said, ringing the customer''s order.

    Another female customer asked for two big slices of carrot cake with two Tropical Monsoon drinks.

    "Coming right up. Please wait in the queue as my colleague prepares your order," Wen smiled.

    Ebony Chocolate Caf�� was always busy in the mornings. Many workers came to get their morning drinks, lunch, or snacks. The caf�� was famous for having many female customers because of the handsome male employees of the caf��. Lai prepared the orders and handed them to the customers, a bright, friendly smile on her face.

    "Please come again!" she exclaimed, waving at the leaving customers.

    With the morning rush hour, the caf�� door''s bells rang continuously as customers entered and left. Currently, there are only six employees that work in the caf��, consisting of four men and Lai and Wen being the only two female employees. The male employees took the orders of customers who did not join the queue and instead proceeded to take a seat.

    "Thank you," a female customer said as her Cosmic Blaze drink with a bran muffin was placed in front of her.

    Lai watched that female customer pull out her phone as she prepared a Lemony Twister for a customer. The female customer tugged some hair behind her ears and cleared her throat, holding out her phone to the male employee.

    "Please may I have your number," the female customer begged.

    Some customers watched her bravery while others just minded their own business. This was an almost daily occurrence as many women confessed their feelings to the cafe''s male employees.

    "Here''s your Lemony Twister," Lai said, handing the customer in front of her their drink.

    The male employee smiled at the female customer and gave her a closed-eyes smile.

    "My apologies, miss," the male employee said, "But it is against the caf��''s policy to give our phone numbers to customers."

    Of course, that was a lie, but customers did not need to know that. The female customer put her phone away and pouted as the male employee bowed and left her. The employee that turned that customer down was Zhou Feng, a red, sleek-haired young man with small sapphire eyes and Lai''s height. The only reason he turned that customer down was because he was gay.

    ''Another woman fell prey to his good looks,'' Lai thought, cutting a slice of chocolate cake and placing it carefully on a white plate.

    "Poor customer," she heard Teng Heng, her other male colleague, whisper to her as he grabbed the white plate and placed it on the silver tray he was carrying, "She never stood a chance."

    He placed a spoon on the plate and walked to the customer who had ordered the cake. Yu Tai, the male employee who was in charge of the rest of the employees, was busy wiping a hot chocolate spill made by a ten year old boy. The little boy looked down at the spill in despair.

    "Sorry, mister," the little boy apologised, slumping his shoulders.

    "Yes," his mother said, bowing her head, "Sorry about the mess."

    Yu Tai stood up, pushed his glasses back, and placed his hand on the little boy''s shoulder.

    "Don''t worry about it. I''m just glad you''re not hurt, little kid. Be careful next time, okay?"

    The little boy nodded enthusiastically, his sad face now beaming. Yu smiled, bowed, and walked away. The last male employee, Ren Tai, was packing empty plates and glasses, which customers had finished using onto a large tray. Ren Tai was Yu''s twin brother and worked part-time at the caf��.

    "Don''t think too much about that evil interview or let it bring you down," Ren told her as he passed by and entered the kitchen.

    Wen nodded in agreement.

    "He''s right. Who knows, maybe there is someone destined to hire you and change your life around. Trust fate, my best friend."

    Lai smiled and nodded.

    ''Trust fate, huh?'' she pressed her lips together as she prepared the customers'' drinks.

    She turned to smile at the customer in front of her, his drinks in her hands.

    "Here''s your Iced Americano and Mango Joy," she handed the customer his drinks.

    The customer thanked her, and she attended to the others. One of the reasons she worked here for the past four years was the pay. Although this simple caf�� sold hot and cold beverages, baked goods, and snacks, it had many customers. Why, you ask? The owner was brilliant when he decided to rent the space for his cafe in the central business district (CBD), where it was bustling with workers.

    Sure, the rent was very high, but the overall revenue the caf�� received at the end of the month always exceeded the expenses. Lai enjoyed working in this caf�� as her colleagues were friendly and like her second family. The caf�� owner, Mr. Yuan Yahui, had saved her life when she had run away from the loan sharks who had barged into her home when her parents were not around. They were demanding her father pay off his debt.

    Scared for her life and safety, the nineteen year old Lai at that time had run out of the house and bumped into the caf�� owner who hid her in his caf��. He asked his employee, Yu Tai, to make her hot chocolate which she later drank after calming her racing heart. She explained the situation to the caf�� owner, and he offered her a job. Since then, she''s been working for him, and he was a lovely, understanding boss who loved his employees and customers equally.

    "Here''s your dark cof-" her words got stuck in her throat, and she froze in place, holding the hot drink in her hand.

    ''It''s him,'' she breathed out, her hazelnut eyes widening in surprise.

    SPECIAL NOTE FROM AUTHOR-CHAN:

    I have applied for a contract for this new novel of mine and I am crossing thumbs that it all works out. If not, then I can always find other platforms to get contracted so it will not be much of a problem. Thanks for reading.. And again, these chapter promotions will end soon so please bear with me. Thanks!

 Chapter 94 - Special 2nd Novel #5

    Novel Title: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Hi readers, I just wanted to share the fifth chapter of my new novel here so that I could be able to reach a larger audience. Before I start the chapter, I just want to thank everyone who has been reading my novel , Princess of the Silver Ocean, up till now. Your support means so much for me and I am honestly truly grateful.

    The novel is going to come to an end soon and I hope that you will continue to love all my characters, good or bad, and support them all. This second novel of mine is very precious to me and I am having so much fun writing it and showcasing characters from different backgrounds. Every character is special to me and I hope that you will be able to connect with at least one character.

    Ah, also please note that I will take down the chapters of my 2nd novel soon from this novel since they are not related at all. Like I said earlier, I am only posting these chapters here to attract a larger audience. I will, however, provide you sunshines with special chapters related to this transmigration novel very, very soon.

    I have provided one special chapter so far which dealt with Astoria''s life as a cop. I thoroughly enjoyed writing that special chapter and I hope you enjoyed it too. So, more special chapters on the different characters you love, or hate, will be provided. The novel will probably end next month, if not then maybe in the later part of April.

    Posting the chapters of my second novel here will end soon so please do bear with me *bows head*. Posting the chapters here has also been a huge help on promoting The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure .Thank you once again for your amazing support and understanding.

    Stay healthy and blessed and drink lots of water for clear skin and joy lol. Okay, I am done talking now lol. Enjoy the fifth chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Mouth Open, Head Up

    ~~~~~~~

    "Um..." the man stared at her with a raised eyebrow, "Could I have my coffee, please?"

    Lai shook her head and snapped out of her daze as she stared at the man''s amber eyes.

    "Oh, right. Sorry," she shook her head again and handed him his coffee.

    Watching as he walked to an empty seat in the corner of the cafe, he sat down and placed a brown folder on the table. He leaned forward and grabbed his coffee. Staring at the dark, bitter liquid, he sniffed the aroma and took a sip. After the stressful morning he had at his company, he definitely needed something bitter and strong to ease his mind.

    "Look at you staring at a customer with heart eyes," Wen playfully nudged her, wiggling her eyebrows, "That''s a first. Is someone in love? Oh my gosh, is this love at first sight?"

    Lai playfully rolled her eyes and prepared the multiple orders she had received.

    "What? Of course not. Don''t be silly."

    She handed the customers their orders while some were delivered to the customers by Yu and Zhou. Ren and Teng cleaned the empty tables, packed the dishes, and washed them in the kitchen.

    "Then why do your eyes keep darting in his direction?" Yu asked as he came to grab a glass of water and muffin, placing it on his tray.

    "Argh! Not you too," Lai softly grumbled, then whispered to him, "Just go already!"

    Yu laughed and headed to deliver a customer''s order. Lai bit her lip while preparing other orders while Wen cashed them up. Working at the counter was much more draining than one could think, as you had to be fast, meticulous, and precise in what you did, whether that involved dealing with cash or preparing a customer''s order.

    ''I guess he does not remember me,'' Lai pressed her lips together feeling a little sad, ''Not that I blame him. That was two years ago, and it''s not like he was fully conscious or aware of his surroundings at the time.''

    She was happy to see him alive and healthy. He looked completely different from when she first met him. He was a handsome man that would attract the attention of both men and women.

    "I must say, though," she heard Wen whisper to her, "He is very easy on the eyes. Is he a model? I feel like I''ve seen him somewhere, but I just can''t put my finger on it."

    Lai wondered where Wen had seen this man. She would not be surprised if he was famous, considering he was dressed in an expensive-looking dark blue suit and had the aura of a celebrity. He had drenched his suit jacket on the chair next to him. He wore a white smooth, crisp shirt which was left slightly unbuttoned at the top for a more casual look.

    His suit jacket looked perfectly tailored for him with its elegant windowpane pattern, which radiated elegance and class. The three buttons of his double-breasted jacket were not buttoned up when he had arrived in the caf��. To him, that was the only proper way to wear it. The jacket''s breast pocket contained a stylish pocket square.

    He wore pants that copied the style of the suit jacket, both in color and pattern. These were a perfect match with his stunning pair of shortwing bluchers. To top it all off, he wore a refined belt, which could be accompanied by a hat and a tie clip. He had chosen neither when he tried out the suit in his home.

    ''I can''t imagine how many dollars that suit cost him,'' Lai thought, handing a customer a plate with two large-sized cookies.

    If the man really was famous, then she definitely had no idea because she was not interested in all things celebrity or glitz and glamour. Why was he stabbed if he was a celebrity like a famous model? Was someone trying to kill him that night, or did he get into a dangerous altercation? A victim of theft, maybe?

    An hour had passed, and the man had still not left although he was done with his coffee. He had been casually glancing at her the entire time. He ushered for Zhou, who came to his side. She watched as the man whispered something in Zhou''s ear. Zhou nodded, causing Wen and Lai to exchange looks of confusion. They watched Zhou approach them. He stood by the counter, stared at the man who nodded at him, and then at Lai.

    "He says he wants to talk to you," Zhou told her.

    "Talk to me?" she raised her eyebrow in confusion, "Why?"

    "To confess his feeli- Ow!"

    Lai had nudged Wen''s side to prevent her from speaking further. Zhou softly laughed shrugged as he did not know why the man wanted to talk to his colleague.

    "He said he just needs five minutes of your time," the red-haired man added.

    Wen pressed her lips together and nudged Lai''s side.

    "Seems like someone has a bold admirer," Wen suggestively wiggled her eyebrows.

    Lai crossed her arms, making an ''X'' with them to tell her friend that was not the case.

    "What? Get that silly idea out your head-"

    Wen shushed her and pushed her to the front of the counter.

    "Whatever. Go find out what he wants," she told Lai, walking back to the counter, "Zhou will take over your post till you come back. Now shoo, make it quick."

    Lai sighed, thanked Zhou, and then headed to the maybe-famous-looking man. He stood up upon seeing her and walked to the empty chair across him, pulling it out for her like a gentleman.

    "Um, thanks," she said softly as she sat down, and he walked back to his seat.

    She watched him sit down, and only then did she notice the beauty that was the maybe-famous man. Black, hair sat atop a chiseled, handsome face. Glinting amber eyes, set far within their sockets, observed her as she clasped her hands together. She noticed he had a birthmark on the left side of his neck.

    "Since I have only five minutes," she heard him say, causing her to focus her attention on his face before her eyes could travel down his unbuttoned shirt.

    He pushed the brown folder he had had earlier in her direction, ushering her to open it. She held the folder in her arms, opened it, and pulled a white stack of paper.

    "What''s this?" she softly asked and paused when she read the bold letters on the top of the first page, "Wait, is this a contract!?"

    He crossed his arms together, revealing his well-defined arm muscles, and nodded.

    "Come work for me as my PA," he said, a smile on his face.

    AUTHOR''S NOTE: I remember someone messaged me saying that the ML is so mysterious since not much is known about him.. More information about him will be revealed in later chapters.

 Chapter 95 - Special 2nd Novel #6

    Novel Title: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Hi readers, I just wanted to share the sixth chapter of my new novel here so that I could be able to reach a larger audience. Before I start the chapter, I just want to thank everyone who has been reading my novel , Princess of the Silver Ocean, up till now. Your support means so much for me and I am honestly truly grateful.

    The novel is going to come to an end soon and I hope that you will continue to love all my characters, good or bad, and support them all. This second novel of mine is very precious to me and I am having so much fun writing it and showcasing characters from different backgrounds. Every character is special to me and I hope that you will be able to connect with at least one character.

    Ah, also please note that I will take down the special chapters of my 2nd novel soon from this novel since they are not related at all. Like I said earlier, I am only posting these chapters here to attract a larger audience. I will, however, provide you sunshines with special chapters related to this transmigration novel very, very soon.

    I have provided one special chapter so far which dealt with Astoria''s life as a cop. I thoroughly enjoyed writing that special chapter and I hope you enjoyed it too. So, more special chapters on the different characters you love, or hate, will be provided. The novel will probably end next month, if not then maybe in the later part of April.

    Posting the chapters of my second novel here will end soon so please do bear with me *bows head*. Posting the chapters here has also been a huge help on promoting The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure .Thank you once again for your amazing support and understanding.

    Stay healthy and blessed and drink lots of water for clear skin and joy lol. Okay, I am done talking now lol. Enjoy the sixth chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Time is Money

    ~~~~~~~

    Lai stared at him, mouth slightly parted.

    "You want me to work for you?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow as she was in disbelief of what he was asking her.

    He nodded.

    "As your PA?"

    He nodded again.

    ''Is this man being serious? Why would I work for him when we barely know each other?'' she thought, pressing her lips together.

    She sighed and looked at him dead in the eyes.

    "Why?" she asked him, "I mean, we don''t know each other."

    The man leaned forward, placing his hands on the table, and rested his head on his hands.

    "Really? So, you don''t remember me?" he asked her with a subtle frown on his face.

    She remained silent. Of course, she remembered him. How could she forget the day they met? It was a melodramatic meeting.

    "Well, I remember you quite well. Although it took me a while to remember and find you," he told her.

    "Find me?" her hazelnut eyes widened, "How did you find me?"

    He gave her an ambiguous smile.

    "I have my ways. Anyway, that night," he began, "I couldn''t really remember what happened. I just remembered that I entered a place, a woman helped and saved me, called the ambulance, and paid for the hospital bills."

    "Ah," he heard her say, "So you do remember what happened that night."

    "And you left without seeing me once I was moved out of the ER," she heard him add.

    She rubbed the nape of her neck.

    "Sorry about that, but I had my reasons," she sighed, "But I only left once I was told that you were free from danger."

    He leaned back and smiled.

    "I can''t believe you still work here," he told her, scanning the caf��.

    "What''s wrong with me working here?" she asked coldly, almost raising her voice, catching him by surprise.

    "No, no," he said, placing his arms out with his palms facing her in a defensive manner, "Please don''t get me wrong. I didn''t mean it negatively."

    She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, placing the contract on the table and crossing her arms.

    "Then what did you mean?" she narrowed her eyes at him.

    "I meant since you still work here, it was easier for me to find you once I remembered your face," he replied, placing his hands on the table, "Although remembering your face was a mission since I was unconscious that day and barely saw my surroundings."

    She uncrossed her arms.

    "I see," she stared at the contract, "Why do you want me to work for you? In fact, who in the world are you?"

    He stretched his hand out to her.

    "Where are my manners? My name is Bai Ying, the founder and CEO of Nero Inc.," he told her, moving his outstretched hand up and down for her to shake.

    She stared at his hand and, after a minute, shook it. She had heard of Nero Inc. from her mother. It was a multinational electronics and information technology company. She had no idea the man she had saved two years ago was the CEO of that company. And now, what''s this? He wants her to work for him? Was she dreaming? She had to be dreaming, right?

    "And you are...?" she heard him ask her.

    She looked at him.

    "My name is Lai Xiulan," she said.

    He nodded and gave her a radiant smile.

    "So," he leaned forward, "how about it? Do you want to work for me as my PA?"

    She grabbed the contract and began to skim through it. It was a reasonable contract. The company had many employee benefits.

    ''The pay,'' she thought as she skipped to the salary section.

    Her eyes widened, and she almost gasped at the amount.

    ''$5000 a month!?''

    She looked up from the contract at Mr. Ying.

    "Your salary is negotiable," she heard him say as if he knew what page she was on, "So that wage on the contract is just the starting wage. I can increase it by $2000 or more. Your wage is negotiable."

    He did not care about how much she would want to earn every month as long as she was by his side. She gasped at his statement, almost choking on her own saliva. This salary was more than what she made here at the caf��. If she earned this kind of money every month, she would be able to pay off her father''s debt faster and financially help her mother more. Mr. Ying watched her look back at the contract.

    She placed the contract down, telling herself not to get too ahead of herself and lose her rationality because she saw too many zeros. Zeros that were far beyond how much she earned here. She had to think this through as it may be a good opportunity. After a while, she let out a long sigh.

    "I just have one question about your offer," she told Mr. Ying.

    He nodded and crossed his arms, furrowing his brow.

    "Why me?" he heard her ask him, "I don''t exactly have the qualifications to be part of such a big company. I didn''t go to college and-"

    She paused when he placed his palm in the air to silence her, not wanting to hear her undermine herself just because she didn''t have a degree to her name or the required qualifications. To him, she was the perfect candidate. He needed to have her next to him. In a serious tone, he leaned back and spoke the four words Lai didn''t know she would hear from a stranger she had saved years ago.

    "I just need you."

    Her hazelnut eyes slowly widened as his words sunk in, almost piercing her heart and causing it to race. She bit her lip and stared at the contract, her gaze fixed on it as she tried to calm her racing heart.

    "Could you give me some time to think this through?" she asked him.

    He smiled and stood up, grabbing his suit jacket and putting it back on. Placing his hand inside his suit jacket''s pocket, he took out his business card and gave it to her.

    "Of course. Here''s my business card," he said, "I''ll give you a week to think about it. When you''re ready to give me your answer, call me on that number."

    She stood up, placed the contract in its brown folder, and nodded.

    "Well, I won''t waste any more of your time since I asked for five minutes," he told her, "I''ll be waiting for your call."

    With that, she watched as the owner of Nero Inc. left the caf��. She stood where she was for about a minute, her mind trying to process and make sense of the situation she had just encountered.

    "Is this the ''trusting fate'' thing Wen was talking about?" she mumbled to herself, her eyes staring at the business card in her hand.

 Chapter 96 - Special 2nd Novel #7

    Novel Title: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Hi readers, I just wanted to share the seventh chapter of my new novel here so that I could be able to reach a larger audience. Before I start the chapter, I just want to thank everyone who has been reading my novel, Princess of the Silver Ocean, up till now. Your support means so much for me and I am honestly truly grateful.

    Posting the chapters of my second novel here will end soon so please do bear with me *bows head*. Posting the chapters here has also been a huge help on promoting The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure. Thank you once again for your amazing support and understanding.

    Stay healthy and blessed and drink lots of water for clear skin and joy lol. Okay, I am done talking now lol. Enjoy the seventh chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Angel vs Demon

    ~~~~~~~

    Not wanting to think about the situation any longer, she walked to the female changing room. She opened her locker, placing the contract inside and the business card in her tote bag.

    "Let''s not think about it for now," she said to herself, "I''ll figure this out once I''m home."

    She closed her locker and walked back to the counter.

    "So?" she heard Wen ask with an excited gaze in her eyes.

    "So he is not a secret admirer," Lai spoke, preparing a customer''s order of two cups of Chai tea.

    Wen pouted.

    "Bummer."

    Lai laughed and gave the customer his order.

    "You watch too many romantic movies and series," she told her best friend.

    "And I''m still single and growing old," Wen added, letting out an exasperated sigh.

    "We''re only 23," Lai said, rolling her eyes, "Don''t be so dramatic."

    Wen laughed.

    "Well, 23 is close to 30, so...I need a man," Wen mumbled as she waited for a customer to scan their QR code.

    "But you''re never serious when you''re in a relationship," she said, shaking her head.

    Wen nudged her side, and they both softly sighed. Lai checked the time and saw that it was almost time for their lunch break.

    "Besides," Wen heard Lai add, "Don''t you have a boyfriend?"

    Wen groaned.

    "We broke up this morning," she sighed.

    "Oh," was all Lai could say as she knew Wen had terrible luck when it came to picking men.

    The caf�� employees had their lunch at 1 PM, and during that time, they would not let any customers in until after 2. The customers who were already inside would be attended to before having their lunch break.

    "We are about to go on our lunch break," Yu declared to the customers in the caf��, "so if you need anything else, please let us know now so that we can attend to you before we eat."

    The customers nodded, and some got up to order more drinks and food before the employees'' lunch break.

    "If not, you will have to wait until after 2 PM," Zhou added and then walked outside to change the caf��''s sign which was written ''Now Open,'' to the sign in his hand, which said ''On Lunch Break.''

    When the caf�� employees finished attending to the customers, they walked to their lockers to grab their lunch. Lai grabbed the business card from her tote bag to show her collegues. They then walked to the corner of the caf��, which overlooked the rest of the caf��, and sat together, placing their lunches on the table.

    "And?" Wen asked Lai, opening her lunchbox, which contained curry.

    Wen was a big fan of hot and spicy food, as was Lai.

    "What is it now, Wen?" Lai opened her lunchbox, which contained a  chicken and mayo sandwich.

    Ren and Yu laughed simultaneously at how inquisitive Wen was.

    "She probably wants to know what you two actually spoke about?" Teng said, taking a sip of his cola.

    Zhou was busy scrolling on his social media, not paying attention to the conversation.

    "A job offer," Lai said, taking a bite of her sandwich.

    "H-he offered you a job?" Wen asked, almost choking on her curry.

    Lai nodded, placing the business card in the middle of the table for her colleagues to see. She heard Ren gasp, and she raised her eyebrow upon seeing his shocked expression.

    "N-nero Inc.?" Ren stammered, his gaze fixed on the business card.

    "Yeah-"

    "You got offered a job by Mr. Bai Ying?" Ren cut Lai off.

    She stared at him, wondering what he was getting so worked up about.

    "Wait," she heard Zhou say as he put his phone on the table, "The Ying family? The mafia Ying family?"

    "What do you mean the mafia?" she asked him.

    Zhou sighed.

    "You really need to read the news on famous people," he told her, his gaze still fixed on his phone.

    She waved her hand at him to explain what he meant by the mafia.

    "Mr. Bai Ying is the owner of Nero Inc.," Zhou began to explain, his gaze now fixed on her.

    "I know that part," Lai said, biting her sandwich.

    "He also belongs to the mafia," Zhou added, "His family is part of one of Cedorian''s mafia."

    "You mean this country actually has the mafia living in it?" Wen asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

    Ren sighed.

    "The mafia is all over the world, Little Wen," Ren teased her, "You of all people should know that since you love watching romantic movies related to crime."

    Wen kicked his leg under the table, earning an "Ow" from him. She smiled, feeling satisfied, and continued eating her food.

    "So let me get this straight," Yu said, causing everyone to pay attention to him as they ate their lunch, "The man you saved two years ago happened to be the billionaire, mafia CEO of Nero Inc.?"

    "Wow, he''s even a billionaire," Wen mumbled, "No wonder he looked wealthy."

    "Well, I didn''t know he was part of the mafia at that time," Lai blurted, taking a large bite of her sandwich.

    "Even if you knew he was part of the mafia," Teng said, "We all know you would have still helped him."

    Lai pressed her lips together, and Ren nodded. That was true.

    "Yeah," Yu agreed, "You''re just that kind of person. You''re not prejudiced and can''t bear to ignore someone in need. It''s in your nature."

    Zhou leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands.

    "So, is this his way of thanking you for saving him that night?" he asked her.

    Lai bit her lip and shrugged.

    "I don''t know. Maybe."

    Wen squealed, causing some customers to turn their attention to her for a few seconds, wondering why she squealed.

    "This is the perfect premise for an unpredictable love story," she told Lai, grinning from ear to ear.

    Lai sighed.

    "Please don''t use me as a character in your romantic fantasy scenarios," she told her best friend, "Hearing that he''s in the mafia...I guess it may explain why he was stabbed that night."

    "Funny how that was not on the news," Zhou added.

    "Guess his family shut the media up and warned them they would sue if they published that story," Ren added.

    "Oh, it had nothing to do with the mafia," Teng chimed in.

    Lai had finished her sandwich and leaned back on her chair, tilting her head up to look at the caf��''s white ceiling. As she stared at it for a minute, two miniature, floating versions of herself appeared.

    ''What the?'' she widened her eyes in shock, ''What the hell is that?''

    One version wore an angel outfit while the other a devil. She was seeing a shoulder angel and demon version of herself.

    "Don''t judge a book by its cover, Lai," the shoulder angel  said, "This is a good opportunity for you-"

    "No, no, no," the shoulder devil interrupted the shoulder angel, "What if he kills her when he gets angry because she didn''t do her job right? Everyone knows that nothing good comes from the mafia!"

    ''Ah,'' Lai thought, ''I am so bothered by Mr. Bai Ying that I''m now hallucinating like they do in movies and comics.''

    "No!" the shoulder angel placed her hands on her hips and fixed her gaze on the shoulder devil, "Not all mafia are bad, and if she takes this job, she''ll be able to set herself and her mother free."

    The shoulder angel then turned her attention to Lai, who tilted her head to the side.

    "Don''t you want to be set free from your suffering?" it asked her, "You barely live your life or have time to go on dates or outings because you work yourself to the bone every single day because of your father."

    "Oh shut up!" the shoulder devil yelled, pushing the shoulder angel and causing her to lose her balance and fall on Lai''s lap.

    "Ow!"

    Lai stared at the shoulder angel. The shoulder devil ignored her and flew closer to Lai, floating in front of her face causing her to look at it.

    Her colleagues watched her but did not utter a word. They just thought she was in a daze because of the mafia CEO. They had no idea she was currently having an internal conflict.

    "Listen here, Lai!" the shoulder devil said, "This guy is bad news! Bad news, I tell you! Besides, you don''t have the necessary qualifications or a degree-"

    "That man told her she doesn''t need to have that," the shoulder angel chimed in, now floating in front of Lai''s face as well, "He said she''s the one he needs. Don''t mess this up for her."

    Lai shook her head, and the shoulder angel and devil disappeared in a puff of smoke. She sighed. Half an hour later, everyone stood up as it was now time for them to get back to work.

    "I have to weigh the pros and cons of this job offer when I get home."

    She stood in front of her locker, putting her lunch box inside.

    ''Do I really want to associate myself with this dangerous man just because of money?'' she asked herself, staring at her now-closed locker.

 Chapter 97 - Special 2nd Novel #8

    2nd Novel name: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    I will update the next chapter of Princess of the Silver Ocean tomorrow so for today, read chapter 8 of my new novel. Stay healthy, blessed,  and drink lots of water for clear skin. Enjoy the eighth chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Unlucky Love for the Rich

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    (Note: Wen Yazhu''s POV. Slight cursing)

    Wen Yazhu was the same age as Lai, 23 years old, and one of two children. She had a younger sister, and they were both highly pampered by their parents. She was a black, shoulder-length-haired woman with glinting silver eyes. Her mother was a foreigner and passed away when she turned twenty-one. Yes, her birthday was the same day as her mother''s death, so she barely celebrated her birthday.

    Unlike Lai, Wen was born from a wealthy family. Her father married a woman from a rich family. It was love at first sight for her parents. When her parents got married, they opened a furniture company, Yazhu Furnitures, under her mother''s name since the funds came entirely from Mrs. Yazhu. The company later gained recognition from many businessmen and women around the country and then the world. The one furniture company used to put food on the table for their family became twenty companies operating across Cedoria. The company was now a franchise.

    Her father was displeased when his eldest daughter said she did not want to take over the family business but instead wanted to pursue a career in the film industry. Wen wanted to be a filmmaker. Her love for movies at a young age made her want to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Film. This did not sit well with her father as he wanted her to use her intelligence to take over the family business as he felt he was growing old.

    No matter what her father said, she respectfully refused to take over the business but agreed to help out at the main branch on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays after she was done with her lectures at the Angelwing Academy of Arts. Her younger sister, Yiren, was only in 11th grade and had no interest whatsoever in business. Yiren said she was not fond of math, data analysis, or the economy. So, she wanted to be a model instead. And so, her dad did not bother teaching her too much about the family business. He just taught her the basics.

    In his wife''s will, her two daughters would get 40% ownership of the furniture company as the company mainly had belonged to her. Her husband would get 20%. Wen worked at Ebony Chocolate Caf�� on a Tuesday and Thursday. Her father protested her working at a caf�� instead of the family business. Still, she insisted and stuck to her decision of choosing the caf��. She wanted to be an independent woman who did not rely too much on her family''s wealth.

    Because many people knew about Yazhu Furnitures, she was taken advantage of since her high school days. Since they knew that her family was wealthy, classmates approached her and became her ''friends.'' Friends who only used her to get the latest shoes, bags, clothes, gadgets, etc. You get the point. Her luck was worse when it came to romance. She was a romanticist and always spoiled her boyfriends, giving them the attention she thought they deserved. She was loyal to them and never cheated.

    In the end, she gave too much love and received too little in return. She was used, manipulated. At first, she didn''t care about it as she was just happy that a man actually wanted her, even if it was for the wrong reasons. Well, that changed one very drastic night when she had caught one of her so-called friends enter a love hotel with her boyfriend. This was what had happened:

    She had just finished having a business meeting with one of her father''s investors. She was about to enter her family''s Mercedes to go home when she noticed the two of them walking hand in hand.

    "Huh?" Wen squinted her eyes at the two figures heading to a love hotel, "Isn''t that May? What''s she doing with Shou?"

    "Miss Wen?" she heard her chauffeur call out.

    She shifted her gaze at him.

    "Wait here. I''ll be right back," she told him.

    The chauffeur nodded. She clutched her Gucci handbag tightly and followed after them, her red bottoms hitting the tar road angrily. May and her boyfriend were at the counter and received the key to their room from the owner.

    "Let''s go, baby!" Wen''s boyfriend yelled in excitement, his speech slurred due to consuming too much alcohol.

    May laughed, and they headed to their allocated room. Wen had walked in a minute later and did not see where they went. She tapped on the counter, seeing that no one was there. At that time, the owner had crouched down to grab another newspaper to read.

    "Excuse me?" Wen called out, "Is anyone-"

    The owner popped up like a Jack in The Box and almost frightened her.

    "How may I help you?" the owner asked.

    "I saw two people enter this hotel," she said, "Which room are they in?"

    The owner raised his eyebrow, looking skeptical.

    "Are you joining them?"

    Of course, she was not, but she couldn''t tell the owner that.

    "Yes," she lied, forcing a smile on her face.

    "Ah, okay. They are in room 45, right around the hallway, two floors up."

    She thanked the owner with a bow and walked to the room.

    "Youngsters sure are energetic and crazy nowadays," the owner mumbled to himself as he watched her disappearing figure.

    It took her two minutes to get through the flight of stairs as the elevators were out of service. She leaned forward when she was outside room 45, placing her ear on the door. Her eyes widened, and her lips quivered in anger when she heard loud moans of pleasure. She put her hand on the doorknob and opened the door, surprised to find it unlocked.

    ''They didn''t even bother to lock the door, huh?''

    Her body shook in anger when she stepped inside. Her eyes widened in disbelief at the scene unfolding in front of her. Her boyfriend and May were at it, too heavily engrossed in their lovemaking to even notice that she was standing by the door, watching them.

    "What the actual fuck, Shou?" she yelled out with all her might, her face as red as a tomato.

    Shou and May immediately separated. Her boyfriend jumped up from the bed while May covered herself with the white blanket. She was drenched in sweat.

    "Baby," Wen heard him say in a hushed voice, "It''s not what you think."

    "Oh, it''s not?" she asked him, stomping her foot on the marble floor, "Then what the hell is it? Are you teaching her about the reproductive system in a more explicit style?"

    "Weny," he called her using her nickname as he approached her and tried to hold her hand.

    "Don''t fucking touch me, you good-for-nothing piece of trash!" she shouted, taking a step back.

    May stood up, her hands tightly holding the white blanket she had wrapped around herself to cover her naked body.

    "Wen, I''m-"

    "Save it, bitch!" Wen placed her palm in the air in a dismissive manner, "I don''t want to hear your excuses or apologies. I thought we were friends."

    May pressed her lips together and stared at the floor, her shoulders slumped in shame and embarrassment.

    "You two can continue your biology lesson," Wen turned to open the door.

    "Weny," Shou said, his hand touching her shoulder.

    She shrugged him off, turned around, and slapped him. It was the most brutal slap he had ever received, causing him to fall on his butt and let out a whimper. May screamed and ran to his side, placing her hands on his shoulders. She stared up at Wen, who had a murderous look on her face.

    "I said don''t fucking touch me with your filthy fingers unless you no longer wish to have them."

    With that, Wen walked out of the love hotel and into the Mercedes, slamming the door hard. She threw her Gucci bag to the other side of the seat. The chauffeur watched her through the rearview mirror.

    "Are you alright, Miss Wen?" he asked her, a hint of worry in his voice.

    She opened the car window and let the cold, winter air hit her face.

    "Couldn''t be better," she said bitterly and sighed.

    "It''s the last time I''m ever trusting a fucking man."

    And that was what happened. That event changed her whole perception of men. And so, she stopped putting in effort when it came to her boyfriends. She stopped giving them her whole heart. Her relationships never lasted, but she was still a romanticist.. She would go on dates with guys from every class, not because she loved them, but just for the fun of it.

 Chapter 98 - Special nd Novel #9

    2nd Novel name: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    I will update the next chapter of Princess of the Silver Ocean soon so for today, read chapter 9 of my new novel. Stay healthy, blessed, and drink lots of water for clear skin. Enjoy the ninth chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Budding Friendship

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "Ah!" she exclaimed, stretching her hands in the air, "The day''s finally over."

    "Tell me about it," Wen yawned.

    They walked to the changing room together. Lai opened her locker and changed back into her suit.

    "Argh!" Wen heard Lai groan.

    "What''s wrong, Lai?" Wen asked as she wore her Levi jeans.

    She pointed at her suit, and Wen nodded in understanding.

    "Reminds you of that evil, prejudiced job interview, huh?" Wen asked, closing her locker.

    "And this," she smiled and gave Wen a sudden hug, "is why you are my best friend."

    Wen laughed and watched as she took out the brown folder with the offered contract. She placed the folder in her tote bag and closed her locker.

    "You got a lot to think about when you get home," Wen said, "but don''t stress too much about it. Whatever choice you make, I''ll stick by you."

    She smiled at her best friend, feeling genuinely thankful to have met someone like her. They had met a month after she had started working at the caf��. When she saw Wen, she was baffled as to why someone who wore designer clothes and shoes would work in a caf�� that barely paid enough money to buy such expensive attire. She thought maybe Wen was someone who liked to live a lavish lifestyle and, in turn, had too much debt to pay to support such a lifestyle.

    She was surprised when she found out that Wen was the eldest daughter of the Yazhu Furniture company. Wen was a distrustful colleague at first as she was afraid that Lai would be like those fake friends who only wanted to befriend her because of her wealth. Wen always kept to herself, not talking to her colleagues unless necessary. It took them two weeks to open up to each other, especially since they were the only female employees of the caf��.

    What was the event that caused Wen to put her complete trust in Lai, you ask? Well, it involved one of her ex''s. None other than Shou, the scumbag she caught at the love hotel. He had come there after finding out that Wen worked here. He was at the counter, and instead of ordering, he said that he wished to talk to Wen. She refused to speak to him, but he was persistent and began to cause a scene in the caf��.

    "Sir?" Lai said, holding back her anger, "Please calm down. You''re disturbing the other customers."

    "Wen, please!" Shou yelled, completely ignoring Lai, his gaze fixed on Wen and Wen alone, "Let''s talk things out."

    "There''s nothing to talk about," Wen said coldly, "Now go! You''re holding up the line."

    Shou was losing his mind and continued yelling out her name.

    "I won''t stop causing a scene until you agree to talk to me," he had said.

    At that time, the male employees were apologising to the other customers for the chaos and commotion caused by the guy. They tried to take him outside, but he was so furious that he began to fight them in a fit of rage. The customers shrieked at the altercation, and Lai gritted her teeth in irritation, finally reaching her anger limit. She walked out of the counter and stood in front of Shou.

    "No, Lai!" Wen yelled, "You''ll get hurt too!"

    "Wow," Lai said to the angry Shou, clapping her hands as if amused, "Are you the Hulk or something? It seems like your anger gave you so much strength that you managed to hurt my colleagues."

    She quickly glanced at them and saw that they were groaning in pain. They were injured, but not too severely. Shou was also wounded, but his injuries were nothing compared to her colleagues. She clicked her tongue and shook her head.

    "You''ve had your fun and spotlight," she told Shou, "I believe it''s time for you to leave now-"

    Shou scoffed.

    "-while I''m still being nice," she slowly finished her sentence.

    Wen''s ex-boyfriend growled like an angry wolf and pushed Lai, causing her back to hit the counter. She groaned at the pain that was coursing through her back.

    "Lai!" Wen cried out in fear and surprise.

    "That''s it," she said, getting up and rolling her sleeves, "I''ve asked nicely, and you pushed me first, so now what I''m about to do is-"

    She paused, furrowing her brow.

    "-let''s say self-defense?" she finished

    "Huh?" Shou raised his eyebrows in confusion.

    He reached out to slap her, but she blocked him, directing a punch to his stomach. He cried out in pain as he clutched his chest. She immediately grabbed his hands and pinned him to the floor. She pressed his face down on the marble floor and tsked.

    "Someone call the police," she instructed.

    A female customer informed her that she had already called the police when Shou began to fight the employees. She thanked the customer, and Yu crouched beside her, holding Wen''s ex-boyfriend down.

    "You okay?" she asked him, scanning his face, which had a few cuts from his fight with Shou.

    Yu nodded, and Ren helped her stand up. Wen rushed to her side and gave her a big hug.

    "D-don''t you e-ever d-do that again!" she heard Wen stammer with sobs in-between, "I was so worried..."

    Lai smiled and hugged Wen back. She then pulled away and crouched down, staring at Wen''s ex-boyfriend dead in the eyes.

    "If I ever hear Wen tell me that you tried to talk to her whether remotely or in person," she whispered a warning in his ear for only him to hear, "I''ll make sure your stomach is not where I punch. Got it?"

    Shou vigorously nodded, fear evident on his face. The police came a few minutes later. Their statements were taken, and the crazy ex-boyfriend was taken away.

    "Sorry about that, everyone," she apologised to the customers, bowing in every direction.

    The customers began clapping their hands, and she blinked in surprise.

    "That was awesome!"

    "Lai was like Wonder Woman!"

    "What a scumbag that man was!"

    "She''s definitely my type!"

    "She can pin me down any day!"

    "Bro! Don''t say that out loud!"

    These were some of the statements going around in the room. The customers were more astonished and amused than angry at the fight that had occurred. She blushed hard, and everyone went back to work. At the same time, Teng, who had been too heavily engrossed in his duty of washing the stacked cups and plates in the kitchen sink to hear the commotion occurring in the caf��, administered some first aid to his injured male colleagues.

    Ever since then, she and Wen grew closer and closer, becoming the best friends and sisters they are today. Their friendship was so great that Wen had insisted on clearing off Lai''s father''s debt. Still, she had refused, not wanting to burden other people with her family problems.

    "I think it''s a great opportunity," Wen told her, "You get to work for a billionaire, and he''s fucking handsome. What more can you ask for, Lai?"

    She puffed her cheeks and turned to face Wen.

    "But Weny, he''s part of the mafia," she pouted, "That''s way too dangerous. You saw how dangerous the mafia was when we watched the beginning of Vincenzo-"

    "That was the perspective of the mafia through a Korean drama," Wen laughed, "Don''t base your perception on the mafia through movies and series. This is real life, honey. Besides, I don''t think his family deals with illegal activities."

    They now stood by the counter and watched their colleagues neaten the chairs and tables.

    "I wouldn''t mind working for him if it meant seeing his handsome face every day," Wen licked her lips at the thought.

    "Of course, you wouldn''t," Ren chimed in as he stepped out of the kitchen, "You get easily fooled by looks."

    "Shut it!" Wen yelled at him as she walked towards him and jumped on his back, pulling his ears in the process.

    "Ow! Stop that! Get off me! Hey!"

    Zhou stood beside Lai and sighed.

    "They''re at it again," she said to him, to which he nodded.

    "I''m telling you one day they will fall for each other," Zhou said.

    "Never in your wildest dreams!" Wen and Ren both yelled at him in unison, their faces showing disgust and horror at the thought of dating each other.

    Teng and Lai laughed simultaneously. Yu ushered for everyone to head out so that he could set the alarm system. They stood outside the caf��, waiting for Yu to set the alarm and lock the caf��.

    "Well then," Zhou said, "See you later, losers."

    "Thanks for your hard work today," Teng bowed at them.

    Teng and Zhou waved goodbye and headed for the subway as they lived together as roommates.

    "Tsk," Wen clicked her tongue aloud, "Who''s he calling a loser?"

    "We''ll take our leave too," Yu said, "See you tomorrow."

    "Can''t every guy be like Little Teng?" Wen pouted, crossing her arms, "He''s such an angel."

    Lai nodded in agreement.

    "No, we can''t. Take care, loser," Ren playfully winked at Wen.

    Wen fisted her hand in the air and pretended to want to punch him. Ren flinched, a chuckle escaping his lips.. He waved them goodbye and walked away with his twin brother, Yu.

 Chapter 99 - Special nd Novel #10

    2nd Novel name: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Please note that I will take down the special chapters of my 2nd novel soon from this novel. Like I said earlier, I am only posting these chapters here to attract a larger audience. I will, however, provide you sunshines with special chapters related to Princess of the Silver Ocean very, very soon.

    I will update the next chapter of Princess of the Silver Ocean soon. So, in the mean time, bear with me and read chapter ten of my new novel. Stay healthy, blessed, and drink lots of water for clear skin. Enjoy the tenth chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Final Decision

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "I''m home!" Lai exclaimed as she entered the house.

    The house was silent, so this meant her mother was not back yet. Her father?

    "Dad?" she waited for a response.

    Nothing.

    "Guess nobody''s home," she shrugged, walking to her room.

    She threw her tote bag on the floor and fell on the bed, face flat. She was exhausted and hungry. She walked to the bathroom and took a shower.

    Sitting on her bed and drying her hair, she suddenly remembered what Zhou had said about Wen and Ren. She held back a laugh.

    "That would be the plot twist of the century," she mumbled, chuckling, "What an odd couple they would be."

    She suddenly remembered Wen''s crazy ex-boyfriend and sighed. She was thankful for the heavens that she took a martial arts class after that day the loan sharks had come into her home when her parents were not there.

    She told herself that she needed to know how to defend and protect herself. Her lessons came in handy when Shou came to the cafe acting like the Hulk. She was able to protect Wen and her colleagues that day.

    "That guy was a real nutcase," she sighed.

    She looked at the brown folder peeping out of her tote bag.

    "Ah," she sighed again, "I have another potential nutcase to worry about."

    She laughed and shook her head.

    "Maybe I shouldn''t call him that just yet," she mumbled as she finished drying her hair and ordered a large chicken pizza.

    She walked to the living room with the brown folder when she had finished placing her order. She sat on the couch, turning the TV on, sitting comfortably.

    She covered herself with the blanket left folded in the corner of the couch. She opened the folder, took out the contract, and began to read it carefully.

    "This contract is for the position of Personal Assistant (PA) to the owner of Nero Inc., Mr. Bai Ying," she read.

    "My duties are preparing his diary, booking his appointments and accommodation. I have to accompany him on business trips, events, and meetings if he says so," she paused, looking up at the ceiling.

    ''I guess he travels a lot,'' she pressed her lips together.

    "Employee benefits," she continued to read, "Travel allowance for employees who take a cab to and from work, meal allowance- cafeteria offers some free food and discounts, gym membership discount at Total Body Gym (TBG), entertainment vouchers, i.e., movies, operas, theaters..."

    She did not believe the company offered a whole two-page list of employee benefits. The contract stated that she should begin work from 7 AM and leave at 6 PM.

    If her work went into overtime and was out of her control, she would be paid $30 per hour of overtime.

    "No matter how much I try to think of the cons of this job," she bit her lip, "The pros outweigh them."

    Suddenly, the shoulder angel and devil appeared again.

    "Not you guys again," she said, groaning, "What do you both want this time?"

    "Yeah, what do you want?" the shoulder devil asked, directing the question to the shoulder angel, her hands on her tiny hips.

    "I''m here to help Lai make the best decision of her life," the shoulder angel replied with a cute ''humph!''.

    The shoulder devil flew towards Lai and landed on her left shoulder.

    "Remember what happened in Vincenzo?" it asked her as she tilted her head to look at it.

    "That''s a Korean drama! Even Wen said so. Don''t base your decision and reality on a Korean drama series," the shoulder angel retorted.

    Lai turned her attention to it as it also flew towards her and landed on her right shoulder.

    ''I am definitely going crazy right now!'' she internally groaned.

    "You do realize if something happens to her," the shoulder devil pointed at Lai while glaring at the shoulder angel, "you and I will die?"

    The shoulder angel scoffed.

    "We don''t even exist!" she cried out, "We are just a figment of her imagination. Look at her. She''s probably internally telling herself that she''s going crazy and hallucinating."

    Lai pressed her lips together, stared at the shoulder devil, and shook her head ''yes.''

    "Sorry," she told the shoulder devil, "but Angel Lai is right. Plus, you two don''t exist."

    The shoulder devil sighed and covered her face with her tiny hands.

    "You two are making me look stupid!" it raised its tiny hands in the air, "Of course, I know that we don''t exist!"

    Lai had had enough of these two opposite versions of herself arguing. After thinking long and hard, she had made her final decision and was not going to back down.

    "Okay, you two! Listen up!" she shouted as she stood up, causing the shoulder angel and devil to fly in front of her face.

    "I''ve made up my mind."

    Both her tiny hallucinations glared at each other.

    "I''m accepting this job," she said firmly, "and I''m doing this for myself. The sooner I pay off dad''s debt, the faster I can get my mother out of this miserable life and enjoy my life."

    "Yes!" the shoulder angel yelled, fist-pumping the air in triumph.

    "Whatever," the shoulder devil pouted and disappeared in a puff of smoke together with the shoulder angel.

    Lai sighed and lay back down on the couch.

    "Seriously," she ran her fingers through her brown hair, "What is this man doing to me?"

    "...And now for the 7 o''clock news. Good evening, I''m Cui Guanyu, your news anchor for tonight," she heard the woman on TV say.

    She covered herself with her woolen blanket and scrolled through her phone to check the progress of her order. She smiled as the app told her that her order was 2 minutes away.

    "...so as January, which signified a new year, for 2025 comes to a close, we will take a look at the market value of the top five companies in Cedoria."

    She immediately looked up from her phone and at the TV screen.

    "Primeworks sits at #5. Lionetworks was at #5 last month but has improved its market value and stands at the #4 spot this month. Globaviations remains in its #3 spot. Due to the recent scandal, Nero Inc. comes in at #2, giving its rival company, Spiritronics, the #1 spot on this month''s-"

    Lai heard the doorbell ring, and she immediately jumped up from the couch and ran to the door.

    "Pizza delivery!" the deliveryman stated.

    She opened the door and smiled at him, grabbing the pizza. The deliveryman stared at her, mesmerized by her beauty and large hazelnut eyes.

    "Thank you!" Lai told him, snapping him out of his daze, "Have a great night."

    With that, she closed the door and moved the contract and brown folder to the couch, placing the pizza box on the table. She opened it to reveal a tantalising and appetizing sight for the eyes and stomach.

    Her stomach grumbled. She breathed in the amazing aroma and ran to the kitchen to grab a plate. She then sat down, took two slices, and began eating, feeling her body almost melt as she enjoyed the different flavors dancing in her mouth.

    "...Over to you, Mr. Xuegang," she heard the news anchor say.

    It was now time for the weather forecast. It said that it would be raining tomorrow, which is Friday, and probably the whole weekend. She smiled, totally happy with the weather since she loved the rain.

    "Should I call Mr. Ying and tell him I accept his job offer, or should I wait for first?" she held her phone in her hand.

    She bit her lip and decided to wait for a while, just in case she changed her mind along the way. She sent a message to her boss at Ebony Chocolate Caf��.

    "Good evening, Mr. Yuan Yahui. Please may I set an appointment with you at the caf�� tomorrow," she said as she typed the message to her boss, "I have something I need to discuss with you. Thanks."

    She clicked send and placed her phone on the table, continuing her feast and watching TV.. When she had finished eating, she took the pizza box and left it on the kitchen counter for her dad to have some when he came back from wherever the hell he had run off to.

 Chapter 100 - Special nd Novel #11

    2nd Novel name: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Hi readers, I just wanted to share the eleventh chapter of my new novel here. Before I start the chapter, I just want to thank everyone who has been reading my novel , Princess of the Silver Ocean, up till now. Your support means so much for me and I am honestly truly grateful.

    The novel is going to come to an end soon and I hope that you will continue to love all my characters, good or bad, and support them all. This second novel of mine is very precious to me.

    Ah, I am having so much fun writing it and showcasing characters from different backgrounds. Every character is special to me and I hope that you will be able to connect with at least one character.

    Please note that I will take down the special chapters of my 2nd novel soon from this novel. Like I said earlier, I am only posting these chapters here to attract a larger audience. I will, however, provide you sunshines with special chapters related to Princess of the Silver Ocean very, very soon.

    I have provided one special chapter so far which dealt with Astoria''s life as a cop. I thoroughly enjoyed writing that special chapter and I hope you enjoyed it too. So, more special chapters on the different characters you love, or hate, will be provided. The novel will probably end in April, if not then maybe in the later part of May.

    I will update the next chapter of Princess of the Silver Ocean soon. So, in the mean time, bear with me and read chapter eleven of my new novel. Stay healthy, blessed, and drink lots of water for clear skin. Enjoy the eleventh chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Uncle Yahui is Here

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    You might be wondering what Lai''s country, Cedoria is like. Cedoria is built atop a towering fjord (a strip of sea that comes into the land between high cliffs) and is truly a technological marvel. Its allure is matched by the backdrop of monumental waterfalls that have helped shape the country to what it is today.

    The resources these waterfalls bring are of great importance. Still, Cedoria is also influential in architectural designs. The vast majority of buildings have their own man-made waterfalls or similar elements as part of their architecture.

    The skyline of Cedoria is spread with impressive skyscrapers, and they each represent the many different aspects of the city. Education is superb in Cedoria, and it has garnered a lot of attention. Many new cultures have left their mark on the country''s cuisine and on its identity.

    What historically started as a small country with few cultures, a poor economy, and a low population has grown into a giant melting pot that unites 1.5 million inhabitants. This multicultural identity has indeed left its mark on the country.

    Hundreds of bistros, diners, food carts, and stores offer many culinary choices.

    Citizens or tourists who feel hungry for something else can enjoy concerts, nature, arcades, shopping malls, and other recreational venues available in the country. Lai lived in Qingzou, a relatively medium-sized city on the east of Cedoria''s capital, Hengyaun.

    "Good for you, Lai!" Wen cheered over the phone upon hearing her best friend tell her that she would accept the PA job.

    She placed her umbrella in the umbrella holder in the changing room corner.

    "Although," Wen sighed, "I''ll be sad to see you go since I''ll be the only female employee."

    Lai smiled.

    "It''s not like I''ll never see you guys again," she said to Wen, whose laugh could be heard as if she was on speaker.

    Lai stood in her position as Yu went to flip the sign on the door to ''Now Open.'' On the days that Wen was off, Ren took over her position.

    "Is that Wen?" Ren mouthed to her, pointing at the phone.

    Lai nodded, and he smiled, causing her to look at him with narrowed eyes. She had a feeling that he had a secret crush on her best friend.

    "...Hello? Hello, Lai? Are you still there?" Lai heard Wen ask.

    "Yeah," Lai said, still giving Ren a questionable look, "I''m here, but listen, I have to go now. Customers are-"

    "Welcome!" Wen heard Ren greet the customers cheerfully in the background.

    "-coming in. We''ll talk later," she finished.

    "Okay, cool. Bye!" Wen hung up.

    She put her phone on silent mode and put it in her black apron pocket.

    "One Caramel Twister coming right up," Lai smiled at a customer.

    And so the day began. The rain was pouring outside, and the sky would occasionally flash bolts of lightning.

    "I''m so glad winter is ending," a customer told another customer.

    "Tell me about it," the customer agreed, sipping her hot chocolate, "I''m tired of the cold now. It''s time for summer to arrive."

    Lai smiled and couldn''t agree more.

    "Stop yelling at me!" a customer screamed over her phone as she entered the caf��, causing some customers to look at her.

    She bowed and apologised to the customers for the sudden noise.

    "Do you see now?" she asked the person she was talking to over the phone, "I got weird looks from the customers because of you."

    She put her phone to her ear as she took out the money from her wallet.

    "One dark coffee, please," she told Ren, "No sugar."

    She paid for her order and stood in front of Lai.

    "I told you there was traffic!" the customer yelled in a whisper, "You can''t expect me to part traffic. I''m not a goddess. Actually..."

    The customer paused as she tilted her head up to look at the ceiling, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Lai could see that the customer was trying to control her anger.

    "I''m not your PA!" the customer stated, "I''m part of the Sales Department! Sales Department! You can''t expect me to do so much. You better pay me double for this. Hire a PA soon, geez!"

    With that, the customer cut the call and let out a long sigh. The customer stared at her with a smile, and she smiled back.

    "Bosses can be so demanding, am I right?" the customer said, tugging some loose strands of her light brown hair behind her ears.

    Lai nodded and handed the customer her dark coffee. The customer was beautiful and had a boss babe, femme fatale persona. It had garnered a lot of attention from the other customers.

    "Thank you," with that, the female customer left the store.

    "What was that about?" Ren whispered to her.

    Lai shrugged.

    "Something about bosses and being demanding, I guess," she replied, preparing an order of nutty biscuits and warm milk.

    Zhou and Yu were taking the orders of the seated customers, while Teng cleared some tables of the customers who had left. The caf��''s bell rang, and Mr. Yahui, the owner of Ebony Chocolate Caf��, stepped inside.

    He closed his umbrella and placed it in the umbrella holder. He smiled and greeted the customers and made his way to where she was.

    "Uncle Yahui!" she said with a smile, happy to see him.

    "Little Lai," he greeted, "Good morning. Could I have a coffee, please?"

    "Coming right up, sir," Lai nodded and prepared his order as he went to an empty seat and sat down.

    His employees greeted him. Other customers made small talk with him as he waited for his coffee.

    "Hey, Zhou," Lai called him as he stepped out of the kitchen.

    "Hey, what''s up?" Zhou asked.

    "I need to speak to Uncle Yahui for a few minutes. Please fill my position for me,"

    Lai clasped her hands together and batted her eyelashes. Zhou smiled and nodded. She smiled and thanked him. Holding Mr. Yahui''s coffee, she walked to where he was and sat on the seat opposite him.

    "Here''s your coffee, Uncle Yahui," she said, placing the coffee in front of her boss.

    "Thanks, Little Lai," he took a sip and smiled, "You said you have something you want to discuss with me?"

    She nodded and began to explain what had happened with Mr. Ying. Her boss took another sip of coffee and nodded in understanding. He smiled and nodded.

    "I understand," he told her, "Just know that if you ever feel that it''s too much there, your job here will always be available even if I hire a new employee...which I have to now to take over your position once you''re gone."

    She nodded and clasped her hands together, placing them on her lap.

    "Thanks for understanding, Uncle Yahui," she told him with a closed-eye smile.

    "Of course," he drank his coffee, "I''m always here if you need anything. You know you''re like family to me, so don''t hesitate to tell me if anything bothers you, okay?"

    She held back the tears that wanted to escape her eyes and shook her head. Tilting her head, she smiled, her eyes closed.

    "Yes, Uncle Yahui!"

 Chapter 101 - Special nd Novel #12

    2nd Novel name: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Please note that I will take down the special chapters of my 2nd novel soon from this novel. Like I said earlier, I am only posting these chapters here to attract a larger audience. I will, however, provide you sunshines with special chapters related to Princess of the Silver Ocean very, very soon.

    I will update the next chapter of Princess of the Silver Ocean soon. So, in the mean time, bear with me and read chapter twelve of my new novel. Stay healthy, blessed, and drink lots of water for clear skin. Enjoy chapter twelve of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: Meeting in the Rain

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    It was now the weekend, and boy, was it a wet weekend. It had started raining nonstop since Friday afternoon. It was Saturday, but the storm outside had still not calmed down. Lai was in her room, reading a BL manga. Yes, she was a fujoshi (according to Wikipedia, a fujoshi is a woman who enjoys fictional gay content such as any media works or fanworks with romantic relationships between men).

    How she became one was purely by accident. She was in 11th grade at the time. The last period of the day had just ended, and students were leaving the classroom, some heading home, and others to cram school. She was staring out the window, her chin resting on her hand.

    "I can''t wait to go home and read my manga," a female classmate told her friend as she packed her belongings in her bag.

    Lai remained turned to stare at the two classmates, deeply immersed in their conversation. The female classmates walked to the door. When the one talking about going home to read manga lifted her bag and swung it over her shoulder, a manga fell out.

    The student and her friend did not notice and walked out the door. Lai stood up from her seat and grabbed the manga, rushing to the door to stop the female classmate from leaving without her manga.

    "Excuse..." she stared at the empty hallway, "...me?"

    The classmates were already gone. She sighed and stared at the manga in her hand. To her shock, it had a cover of two young high school boys laughing together with their fingers entwined. She raised her eyebrow at the picture. Walking back to her seat, she placed the manga on the table.

    "The Alpha''s Cold Omega," she read the title.

    Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened the manga. She skimmed through the manga and gasped at one of the pages that depicted an explicit scene between the two boys. She quickly closed the manga, her face flushing red. It was not like she was homophobic as she perceived herself as an open-minded person. It was just not something she was used to seeing.

    However, although she was shocked, she was curious about the manga. Since then, she had been curious about what other BL manga and novels were out there. She preferred reading light-hearted BL''s with fluffy and cute scenes. She was not so big on the explicit content part. That was how she became a fujoshi.

    "Argh!" she squealed in her pillow, "Why is the uke so freaking cute? He reminds me of Little Teng."

    She was currently alone in the house as she didn''t work on weekends. Her father was nowhere to be seen since the day she received the job offer from Mr. Ying, which was Thursday. Her mother also had no idea where her husband ran off to as he was not answering his phone. Her mother informed her that she would be home by 6 PM, so she asked Lai to buy ingredients for tonight''s dinner. It was now one o''clock in the afternoon, so she decided to buy the ingredients early before the weather worsened.

    She walked to her closet and put on a black hoodie, changing her pajama pants to blue denim jeans with black converse. She left her pajama shirt on as it was a T-shirt. She walked out of her room, placing her phone in her pocket. Wearing her belt bag around her waist, she grabbed an umbrella and headed out. She was met with a strong wind that almost made her lose her balance.

    "Woah! Better make this quick," she mumbled, hailing a cab.

    When she arrived at Pagoda Supermarket, she quickly ran inside. She sighed when she was safely inside, away from the pelting rain and strong wind. She then grabbed a trolley and pulled out her phone from her denim pocket.

    "Let''s see," she mumbled, scrolling through The Cube, a messenger app.

    She found her mother''s username, HappyNurse, and opened the chat. She scrolled to the list her mother had sent her at 10 AM.

    "Found it!" she smiled.

    Her mother wanted her to buy spaghetti, green onions, chives, chicken breasts, crushed garlic, and beef mince. When she had collected and placed all those ingredients in the trolley, she stood in the queue. Paying for the ingredients, she walked out of the store and opened her umbrella. As she was about to hail a cab, she heard laughter coming from behind the corner.

    She shrugged and lifted her hand to hail a cab but heard the cries of a cat. Her eyes widened, and she turned to the cry, striding towards the sound. She found three drunk men throwing stones at a cornered white cat to her horror. The cat had bruises on its body and face. It had jumped out of the box it used to sleep in and ran to the corner of the supermarket.

    "Hey, stop that!" she yelled, causing the men to turn their attention to her.

    "Looks like we have another kitty that wants to play, boys," one of the men snickered mischievously.

    "Get lost, bitch!" another man said, clicking his tongue.

    She stood her ground and glared at them. She placed her belongings down and walked past them, crouching beside the cat.

    "It''s okay, little guy," she cooed, "Come here. I won''t hurt you."

    She offered it her open arms. It hesitated for a few seconds but then jumped on her, traveling under her black hoodie and popping its tiny head between her cleavage. She smiled and stroked its head, causing it to purr.

    "Let''s get out of here," she told the cat.

    She turned around and started to walk past two of the men. When she passed the third man, he blocked her path.

    "Who the fuck are you to ruin our fun, huh?" he snarled.

    The man''s breath was reeking of alcohol. She scrunched her nose in disgust.

    "Fun?" she asked, raising her voice, "You call throwing stones at a poor little cat ''fun'' ?"

    She was utterly disgusted at their behaviour. The two men walked towards her. The one man joined the man who looked like the boss, while the other man stood behind her. They blocked her path.

    "You''re not going anywhere," the man she guessed was the boss said.

    The man behind her tugged her to the ground using her hair, and she shrieked in pain. The cat in her hoody meowed piteously as it dug its claws in her pajama T-shirt to prevent itself from falling out of her hoody. The man who had tugged her down pinned her by the throat using a small knife.

    "Now then," one of them said, licking his lips in a hungry, wolf-like manner, "Let''s have some fun, shall we?"

    With that, the man began to unbuckle his belt, and her hazelnut eyes widened in shock. Any other woman would be freaking out or sweating buckets, but not her.

    ''Oh hell to the freaking no,'' she thought, glaring at him.

    She had to defend herself using Kekil, a primarily defensive martial art style she learned that focuses on disenabling your opponent. It takes advantage of every opening in your opponent''s defense. The primary focus relied on both foot sweeps and chokeholds and often the endurance and stamina of yourself and your opponent.

    This was the martial art style Lai was taught by Master Lin of the Shaolin Dojo. She had asked him to teach her the martial art style to defend and protect herself from her father''s loan sharks. Her most significant strength of the Kekil martial art style was knowing when and where to strike and doing so with incredible precision.

    By exploiting the blocks of the men, they became frustrated as none of their strikes hit her. This allowed her to gain the upper hand. On the other hand, the biggest weakness of Kekil was that it was a purely one-on-one style. When facing multiple opponents, one''s weaknesses may suddenly become very apparent to your opponent.

    Since she had no funds to pay for her martial art lessons, she offered to clean the Dojo. When Master Lin saw her eagerness, he agreed to teach her. And so, she learned the Kekil martial art style. That was how she could subdue Wen''s crazy ex-boyfriend, who came to the caf�� years ago.

    ''Thank heavens they were drunk, so their punches and kicks were a bit sloppy,'' she sighed, crouching down and staring at the men who lay on the wet floor behind her.

    They were battered and bruised. She felt the rain travel all over her body as her hoody was now drenched. She pulled the cat out, covering her with her hand to prevent her from getting even more wet.

    "Sorry you had to witness that, kitty," she smiled at the cat.

    Just then, a strange figure stood next to her, holding her umbrella over her crouched, drenched, and aching body. Confused about why she and the cat were no longer getting hit by the rain droplets, she looked up. Her umbrella was covering them. Raising her eyebrows, she turned around to look at the strange figure that was shielding her and the cat from the rain with her umbrella. When her eyes met the figure''s eyes, she blinked slowly in surprise.

    "Mr. Ying?"

 Chapter 102 - Special nd Novel #13

    2nd Novel name: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    This is chapter 13 of the new novel.

    Chapter Title: Wrinkled Bedsheet

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "Mr. Ying?"

    She slowly stood up, the cat held close to her. He did not say anything but leaned his head sideways to look behind her. His amber eyes widened in surprise at the scene. Three men were lying on the floor, battered and bruised. There was also a small knife lying in the corner of the area.

    ''Just what the fuck happened here?'' he thought, raising an eyebrow.

    Lai pressed her lips together, and the cat meowed.

    "I have so many questions," he told her, furrowing his brow, "but first..."

    He took off his black coat and wrapped it around her, adjusting it around her shoulders to make sure she was fully covered. He knew that she was probably cold, considering she was drenched and occasionally shivered.

    "Thank you," she spoke softly.

    He nodded and tucked a few loose strands of her hair, which had come loose from her high pony during the fight, behind her ears. She flinched as his fingers touched her ears, feeling a slight blush appear on her face.

    ''Stop it, stupid!'' she internally yelled at herself, ''Why are you blushing? This is not the time to be blu-''

    He cleared his throat, and she looked at him. She found him busy talking to someone over the phone. Now that she had taken a good look at him, the man was really, really handsome. His black, well-groomed hair was set on a handsome, worried face. His amber eyes would occasionally dart at her, then to the men lying on the floor behind her, and back to her again.

    ''This is so embarrassing!'' she thought, pressing her lips together, ''He will be my boss soon, and he got to witness such a thing? Argh! Feeling super embarrassed right now! He must think I''m a brute.''

    "...yeah. Get your men over here. Okay. Thanks, Delan. Sure."

    With that, he hung up.

    "Was that the police?" she asked him, and he nodded.

    "What exactly happened here?" he asked her, still holding the umbrella up to cover the both of them.

    She quickly glanced behind her at the men lying semi-conscious and lamenting in pain.

    "Oh, this..."

    She then faced him and told him everything.

    "I see," his amber eyes darkened.

    She got a bit scared upon seeing his darkened eyes and irritated expression. Was he irritated at her? Or was it the men behind her?

    ''Did I just irritate a mafia boss?'' she rubbed the nape of her neck and mentally slapped herself.

    "You''re not hurt, are you?" he asked her, his sudden irritated expression turning into a worried one.

    She shook her head ''no,'' surprised by his sudden change of expression.

    "Compared to them," she pointed at the men behind her, "I''m totally- ACHOO!"

    His eyes widened.

    "Let''s talk inside my car," he told her, grabbing her groceries and walking away from the scene.

    "What if they get up and run?" she asked him, occasionally turning to look at the groaning men.

    He laughed.

    ''Damn,'' she bit her lip, ''His laugh is so deep and sexy.''

    He opened the door of his car for her and, shutting it, stared into her hazelnut eyes.

    "I don''t think they''ll be running any time soon unless by some miracle god decides to heal them here and now."

    She parted her lips to say something, but no words came out, and he smiled. He placed her stuff in the boot and walked to the driver''s seat, stepping inside his car. He found her stroking the cat, who was now sleeping, curled up on her lap.

    ''All that trouble for a cat, huh?'' he wondered, amused by this unpredictable woman.

    "ACHOO!" she groaned.

    ''And it looks like she was rewarded a fever in return for saving this cat,'' he sighed and gave her his crisp, clean white handkerchief.

    She thanked him, smiling apologetically. She blew her nose and held the handkerchief in her hands.

    "I still cannot believe you took down those men," she heard him say, a hint of awe and amusement in his voice, "Are you an Amazon warrior, maybe? A secret agent, perhaps?"

    She raised her eyebrows.

    "Like Wonder Woman or the Men In Black?" she asked him.

    He nodded, and she couldn''t help but let out a soft chuckle, feeling giddy. He watched as her pale face filled with colour as she laughed, a tint of blush present on her soft cheeks.

    "No, Mr. Ying," she said, wiping a few tears from her eyes, "I''m not an Amazon warrior like Wonder Woman or a secret agent."

    "Bummer," she heard him utter playfully.

    She smiled, and they heard the sound of police sirens. She felt her body tense up and pressed her lips together. Two police cars parked outside the supermarket.

    "You stay here for a while," he told her, stepping out of the car with his red umbrella.

    She nodded, and he left. She remained in the car, staring into space. What would the police think? She was in so much trouble. Just then, she heard a tap on the car window. The sudden tap caused her to flinch in surprise. Looking up, she saw a police officer and rolled down the car window.

    "Good day, ma''am," the male officer greeted her, "I''m Officer Delan. I need to take your statement."

    She nodded, and he offered her a police form and a black pen. She filled in her statement and glanced up to find Mr. Ying standing with another police officer at the scene of the crime, which she somehow felt had turned into her crime.

    ''Well,'' she bit her lip, ''It is not my fault they were so drunk, and I really tried to fight with half my strength. I didn''t go all out this time.''

    That''s right, ''this time.'' She had been in countless fights where she sometimes helped people who were being abused or assaulted if she came across them. She handed Officer Delan the police form, and he smiled.

    "I-I''m not in trouble, am I?" she stammered, looking nervous.

    Officer Delan shook his head, ''no.''

    "Don''t worry, ma''am," he told her, "The supermarket has a hidden CCTV camera, so we saw everything that happened."

    She looked down and let out a breath of relief.

    "You should join the police force," she heard him saying, causing her to look at him in surprise.

    "We need more kind-hearted but strong people like you," he added, "What you did was amicable, but do be careful next time."

    He then smiled at her.

    "Thank you for your time," he told her as Mr. Ying approached them, "You should go to the hospital to get yourself checked as I saw they hurt you."

    "I''m not that hurt, but thank you for your concern," she nodded.

    "Of course. Take care," he waved goodbye then turned around.

    She saw Officer Delan talk to Mr. Ying, and he nodded at what the officer was speaking. He watched as they shook each other''s hands and walked their separate ways. She rolled up the window and leaned her head back on the seat, feeling drained. Mr. Ying sat on the driver''s seat and grabbed the car keys.

    "Let me-" he began as he started the car.

    "ACHOO!"

    "-take you back home before your fever gets worse," he finished.

    "What''s your address?"

    Silence.

    "Miss Lai?" he asked, his eyes glued to the road, "Your address..."

    He paused when he took a quick glance at her and found she had fallen asleep. The sound of her soft breathing filled the car, and he sighed.

    "Never mind," he said, turning in the direction of his house, "My house it is."

    Lai woke up to find the white cat fast asleep on a large, soft pillow on the floor. She stared at the unfamiliar ceiling and room. Her mind was muddled as her body was slightly burning up and aching.

    "Don''t tell me I have a fever?" she mumbled, placing her palm on her burning forehead.

    She groaned and stared down to find that she was no longer wearing her drenched clothes but instead had changed into a baggy black t-shirt and loose-fitting pants. She looked at the wrinkled bedsheet and gasped.

    "What the?" she pulled the shirt she wore by the neck to stare at her chest for any signs of bite marks or anything unusual.

    Did he do something indecent to her while she was unconscious?

    "Don''t worry," she heard Mr. Ying say as he stood by the door, smirking, "I didn''t do anything indecent to you while you were asleep. I don''t take advantage of vulnerable women, nor do I force myself on them."

    She quickly put her hands on her lap, feeling embarrassed.

    "What? I wasn''t thinking of such a thing," she lied, clearing her throat.

    Mr. Ying had entered the room with a bowl of rice porridge. He had changed into casual clothes, a loose white shirt, and black pants. His black hair was a bit wet and hung loosely on his face.

    ''Damn. The guy is really, really sexy,'' she thought.

    She shook her head and slapped her red, flushed cheeks. He looked at her flushed face and thought she looked adorable.

    ''Get it together, Lai Xiulan,'' she told herself with pressed lips, ''A guy like him probably has a girlfriend or tons of rich, famous, and beautiful looking women lined up for him to choose.. Know your place.''

 Chapter 103 - The Riddle Race Part 9

    "Then," Davitt said, stopping in his tracks, "How about we take a little rest?"

    He pointed at a nearby table with two benches surrounding it on opposite sides. Everyone nodded their head vigorously and ran to the bench. They all sat around the table and sighed in relief.

    "My poor feet," the fairy mumbled as she stretched her legs.

    Laojin and Astoria laughed in unison.

    "It cannot be that bad?" Davitt asked the fairy, who pouted.

    "Of course it is," she told him, "I am not used to walking for so long in such a hilly, zigzagging, and twisted road."

    Astoria gently patted the fairy''s slender shoulders.

    "There there, princess," she told the fairy, trying to comfort her, "We are almost done. Hang in there a little longer."

    Laurelai shrugged her arm away.

    "Nexi!" she heard the fairy whisper-yell at her in her ear, "Quit it! You will make me look helpless in Davitt''s eyes."

    Astoria softly chuckled and nodded.

    "Oops," she clasped her hands together and smiled, "Sorry. My bad, my bad."

    The fairy blushed and clasped her hands together, staring at the table. Astoria smiled and leaned her head back as she stared at the sky, which was as blue as a millionaire''s swimming pool.

    ''Ah,'' Astoria thought, ''Since we are ready, let me ask them a few questions about my siblings.''

    She cleared her throat and leaned her head forward.

    "I have a question," she said, causing the other three to look at her, "and it is about my siblings."

    Laurelai tilted her head in confusion.

    "Your siblings?" the fairy asked, furrowing her brows.

    Astoria nodded.

    "Did they always treat me like a stranger in the academy?"

    "Huh?" Davitt tilted his head in confusion as well, "What do you mean?"

    "I mean," Astoria replied, "Have we like ever hung out? Do they talk to me? Things like that."

    Laojin pressed his lips together and stared at her.

    "Well," Laurelai began, "Anyone can see that you guys do not get along. Ever since you joined the academy, I have never seen you guys hang out."

    "Yeah," Davitt nodded, "It''s like you are complete strangers."

    "It is obvious to everyone that Nadia hates you," Laojin bluntly added, causing her to let out an exasperated sigh.

    "Ah! I didn''t mean to...to..." Laojin waved his hands in the air, looking all flustered, "...to sound so blunt."

    She shook her head and crossed her hands together, and bit her lip.

    "No," she said, "I know you did not mean to."

    The fairy sighed.

    "Have you tried to talk to her?" the fairy asked, causing Astoria to raise her eyebrow.

    "Your sister, I mean," the fairy added upon seeing her confused expression, "You guys are sisters. You should be there for each other, you know?"

    Astoria half-heartedly laughed.

    "I tried to talk to her," she told them, "but let''s just say it did not go so well. When I try to talk to her or even Morvin, it''s like I am annoying them."

    She laughed again.

    "Correction," she said, "It''s a pain just saying hi to them without being criticized. I have given up trying to sort out our differences...for now, that is. I have bigger things to worry about."

    She said the last part softly enough for none of them to hear.

    "It will get better," Davitt said, trying to comfort her, "Just give it time. Fights are bound to happen between royal siblings."

    The fairy and troll nodded and smiled at her.

    "Yeah," she said, giving them a smile back, "I guess you are right."

    She looked at the blue sky again.

    ''Though I do not know how long it will take for me to mend Nexi''s broken relationships,'' she thought, ''However, I cannot worry about that right now. I don''t have time. I have to focus on finding and stopping the Dark Lord.''

    They sat at the bench for an extra five minutes in silence, regaining their energy. Davitt then stood up.

    "We should get going now," he told them, and they nodded.

    They stood up and finally reached their destination a few minutes later.

    "Finally!" Laurelai and Laojin exclaimed in unison as they stared at the multiple creatures walking about in the swamp.

    "It''s packed," Davitt said, staring at creatures who were laughing and chatting.

    Astoria nodded and looked around to see if she could find someone belonging to the Riddle Race. They walked around and scanned the area for the creature.

    "Whoa!" she said, stopping abruptly, causing Laojin, who was walking behind her, to bump into her.

    "Ah, sorry," he told her and stared at her, "What are you staring at?"

    He looked in the direction of her gaze and found that she was staring intensely at a treant. It was a creature with tree characteristics, human-like mobility, and facial features.

    "Ah! A treant," Laurelai said, "And it''s wearing the white t-shirt with a Hyacinth flower."

    They walked towards the treant, passing other creatures who were heading in different directions. They stood in front of the treant, and Astoria could not help but stare at it with her mouth wide open.

    "But treants in Ashen do not speak, so how are we supposed to know what the riddle is?" Laurelai whispered to Davitt.

    "It can just write the riddle on the soil surrounding it," he whispered back to her.

    "Soil?" the fairy raised her eyebrows and stared at the direction the gargoyle was pointing at.

    Sure enough, the treant was surrounded by light brown soil.

    "Ah, I see," the fairy then pressed her lips together.

    The treant stood 30 ft in height. It was huge. Astoria watched as it bent down to their level. She was really taken aback by this, and she blinked multiple times in surprise. It began to scribble words on the soil.

    "Riddle Race?" she read the words it wrote.

    She looked up at it, and Davitt nodded.

    "Yes," he said, "Do you have our riddle?"

    The treant nodded and began to write down the riddle on the soil. Other creatures stared in their direction, wondering what the treant was doing with them.

    "What is that treant doing?" one creature asked its friend.

    "I do not know," the creature''s friend replied, "Maybe playing a game?"

    Astoria stared at the treant, examining its brown and green body. This was basically a moving tree, and it was fascinating for her to see such a creature. She was once again reminded that this was indeed a fantasy world.

    "It''s done writing," Laojin said, causing her to avert her gaze to the written words scribbled on the light brown soil.

    "Let''s see," the fairy said, scanning the words, "It is written like a poem."

    The fairy began to read the poem.

    "A thousand colored folds stretch toward the sky,

    Atop a tender strand,

    Rising from the land,

    ''Til killed by maiden''s hand,

    Perhaps a token of love,

    Perhaps to say goodbye."

    The fairy looked up at the treant and then at her team members.

    "Any ideas?" she asked them.

    "Rising from land?" Davitt said, furrowing his brows.

    "Since we are in a natural setting, don''t you guys think maybe the riddle involves nature?" Astoria suggested.

    Laojin nodded.

    "Yeah, it''s possible," he agreed.

    "So, if it''s that way, then ''rising from land'' would be plants, maybe?" the fairy suggested, tilting her head causing her red hair to sway to the side.

    "Or flowers?" Astoria added, "Because flowers get plucked by women, and if you pluck a flower, you kinda kill it..."

    "That makes sense," Davitt nodded, "And flowers are used as a token of love and can be used to say goodbye."

    "Like white flowers used for a funeral since they bring about feeling of peace," Laojin added, "To say that may the soul reach the afterlife and rest in peace."

    Astoria and the fairy nodded, agreeing with the gargoyle and troll.

    "Then we will go with the answer flower," Davitt said, running his hands through his brown hair, "Are we all agreeing to that?"

    He looked at everyone, and they nodded. He smiled and faced the treant.

    "We will go with the answer flower," he told the treant.

    The treant nodded and began to write on the light brown soil again.

    "Oh," the fairy said, twiddling a strand of her red hair, "I hope we are right."

    The others waited as the treant finished writing.

    "Correct?" Astoria slowly read, "Correct! We were right!"

    "Yes!" Laojin jumped for joy, and the fairy clapped her hands in satisfaction.

    Davitt smiled and watched as Astoria took out a piece of the puzzle from her belt bag. She showed it to the treant, and it nodded. The treant slowly stretched its large branch hand at them.

    In its hand was another piece of their puzzle. She took the puzzle piece and thanked the treant, putting the puzzle piece safely in her bag. Now, they had just one more puzzle piece to collect.

    "We better get going now," the fairy said, "We have one more place to go, and that''s the Anthousai Museum."

 Chapter 104 - Special nd Novel #14

    2nd Novel name: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    This is chapter 14 of the new novel.

    Chapter Title: His Little Bunny

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    (Note: Zhou''s POV)

    Zhou Feng was a 25 year old with stunning green eyes. His hair was previously black and reached his shoulders, but now it was dyed red. He first realised he was gay in his 11th grade of high school. There was a boy in his class that he admired.

    Well, he thought it was admiration at first, but little did he know that that was not the case. The classmate was a straight-A student, his complete opposite.

    Zhou was not so good academically, but he was like a god when it came to sports. He was scouted by most of the school teams when he entered high school as a freshman.

    He refused to join any of the school teams, but the basketball team did not give up on recruiting him.

    At first, he joined the team because the basketball members annoyed him as they met him every day and begged him to join them. Later, he came to love the sport.

    "Your grades are way below average!" his homeroom teacher, Mr. Yong, yelled at him, "How do you expect to do architecture in university if you can''t improve them?"

    He bowed his head, not daring to peek at the teacher whose face was flushed profusely in anger and his neck veins were throbbing. Zhou thought that they were going to pop, and he would be responsible for causing the death of a teacher at an all-boys high school.

    "You wanted to see me, Mr. Yong?" a male voice softly asked after knocking on the door of the teacher''s lounge.

    "Ah. Yes. Come in," he suddenly heard Mr. Yong say in a calmer tone.

    He looked up to find Mr. Yong staring at the straight-A student he later came to realise he had a massive crush on. He stared at his classmate and felt his heart race as the guy looked at him and then bowed at the teacher.

    "I asked Tian Zan to become your tutor," Zhou heard the teacher tell him, "If I hear him tell me that you don''t listen to him or even refuse to do whatever work he gives you, you''re in big trouble, young man!"

    Mr. Yong removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes in fatigue, and put his glasses back on.

    "If your marks don''t improve, you''re in trouble too! If you don''t improve your academics, you might lose your chance at a basketball scholarship next year."

    Zhou''s eyes widened at the horrible thought of losing his chance at a scholarship that could change his life. He needed that scholarship to pay for his dream of studying architecture and becoming an architect.

    He has always loved buildings and their design ever since he was little. It was not like he had faith that he could get a scholarship for academics as he believed himself to be a lost cause in that department. That was why he needed a sports scholarship.

    "I''ll work hard, sir!" he proclaimed with a bow at his teacher.

    Mr. Yong sighed and dismissed them, not wanting to see Zhou, the student who would send him to his early grave, anymore. When Zhou and Tian left the teacher''s room, Zhou let out a long sigh. Tian stood next to him, his mouth slightly parted as he wanted to say something.

    "Um..." Tian pressed his lips together, causing Zhou to stare into his brown eyes.

    ''God, seeing him up close is driving my heart crazy. The guy is really cute,'' he thought and immediately shook his head and dismissed the thought.

    "I''m sorry to trouble you," Zhou said, rubbing his cheek in embarrassment.

    Tian was shorter than Zhou, and his frame was tiny compared to the basketball player. He looked like a cute, fluffy white bunny, while Zhou looked like the big, bad wolf towering over its prey. Tian waved his hands in front of his body and shook his head.

    "No, no," the intelligent student said, "I don''t mind helping a fellow classmate. Let''s work hard together."

    Since that day, Zhou and Tian spent every break together unless they had other personal things to attend to. Tian would help Zhou with his homework and school work. Months passed and Zhou''s grades improved drastically.

    So drastically that he did not believe he had some intelligence in him. Even some students thought the guy might be cheating to get such shocking marks.

    "Tian!" he said, running from his seat to the smart student.

    "Look!" he pointed at his Math test score.

    "Wow!" Tian exclaimed, blinking multiple times in surprise, "A whole 95%? I''m so proud of you!"

    Zhou grinned from ear to ear. He felt like he was on cloud nine. As if he was floating in a sea of happiness. Tian thought that he looked like a big, happy dog and chuckled.

    "We should celebrate!" Tian suggested, "How about we have a meal at The Crimson Cloud?"

    Zhou nodded vigorously.

    "It''s on me," he pointed to himself.

    The rest of the year had gone by quickly, and before they knew it, it was December. They met up a few times to hang out and texted each other almost every day. They became very, very close. They were best friends.

    On the 25th of December, they spent the afternoon together. However, Zhou had noticed that Tian was not his usual happy self. The guy looked extremely troubled.

    "Hey," Zhou said, stopping in his tracks and turning to face Tian, "Are you okay? It''s like your body is here, but your mind isn''t. What''s wrong?"

    Tian widened his eyes, suddenly pulled Zhou''s hand, and they stepped into an alley.

    "Hey, what''s wron-"

    Zhou was cut off by Tian''s sudden passionate kiss, which held some urgency and a sense of intense sadness. At first, Zhou thought he was dreaming. I mean, Tian was kissing him, right? Was he maybe hallucinating?

    "Z-zhou," he heard Tian stammer after breaking their kiss, "It''s h-horrible."

    He looked at the smart student and cupped his face.

    "What''s wrong? Tell me," he stared into the student''s teary brown eyes.

    "My d-dad," Tian began to say, tears escaping his eyes as he hiccuped while he spoke, "H-he wants u-us t-to go abroad because h-he got a j-job offer. I''m leaving tomorrow. I only found out yesterday and..."

    Zhou''s green eyes widened in shock, while Tian''s body shook as he silently sobbed. Tian covered his face with his hands. His body slumped from sadness.

    ''H-he''s leaving?'' Zhou could not believe it as he stared at the ground.

    He was angry, confused, but mostly his heart was shattered. He felt like someone had grabbed his heart, stabbed it with a knife that had been placed on a hot surface, and then used it to also cut his pierced heart.

    "I''m sorry," he heard Tian say, causing him to look at the intelligent student.

    "I..." Zhou didn''t know what to say.

    Just what was he supposed to say? Don''t go? Stay with me? This was not some fairytale. He did not have that kind of say in Tian''s life.

    "I don''t know if I will ever come back," Tian said softly, "But I-I really came to like you...No, I still do. I hope that we can continue being friends even if we never meet again. You will always have a place in my heart, Zhou Feng."

    When the new year began, Tian was gone, and Zhou felt like his once exciting and fun school life was mundane again. He missed Tian so much that it drove him crazy. He hoped that wherever the smart guy was, he was happy.

    He continued to work hard in school and was accepted at one of Cedoria''s top universities, Waterfalls University, located in the hub of Qingzou. Mr. Yong was the happiest teacher when Zhou told him the great news.

    Zhou was very open about his sexual orientation in university, and no one dared to harass or bully him about it. I mean, how do you even bully the big, bad wolf? Not that my Zhou is a bad guy.

    "Bunny Teng," he called the sleeping university student, sitting on the side of his roommate''s bed.

    This was the nickname he gave Teng because he was such a cute and adorable guy, just like a cute bunny. It has been six years since Zhou last saw or heard from Tian. They used to text all the time, but as they both got busy, the texts decreased gradually until neither texted the other.

    "Bunny Teng," Zhou whispered in Teng''s ear to wake him up so that he was not late for his engineering classes, "Wake up, or I''ll bite you."

    Still, Teng did not wake up and just rustled in his sleep. Every morning, Zhou had a mission: Get up and wake Teng Heng, his roommate, and colleague. He was basically the little guy''s human alarm clock. In a way, Teng Heng reminded him of Tian because they were both cute and intelligent.

    Not to mention they were both complete angels, always willing to help others. Maybe this was why he fell for Teng Heng. Yes. You read that right. Zhou had a secret crush on his roommate and colleague, Teng Heng.

    A crush isn''t even the word to describe it. He was utterly smitten and spoiled him so much. But alas, his roommate was straight. He sighed as he gently shook the sleeping guy''s shoulder.

    "Okay, for real now," Zhou said in a more serious tone, "You''re gonna be late. Wake up, sleepyhead."

    Just then, Teng woke up, rubbing his eyes. He slowly wrapped his arms around Zhou''s waist and rested his head on the guy''s chest, catching him by surprise.

    He noticed that Teng liked skinship a lot, which was strange because the little bunny was never this intimate with his university friends at Waterfalls University.

    "Okay," he heard Teng mumble in his chest, "I''m all powered up, now."

    Zhou sighed and ruffled Teng''s hair.

    "All right. All right," Zhou stood up, and Teng looked up at him, "Good morning. Go take a shower now, Bunny Teng. I believe you have a class soon."

    Teng jumped out of bed and yawned softly as he stretched his tiny body.

    "Okay and good mornin'', Zhou," Teng sleepily greeted Zhou, whose heart immediately went ''ba-thump.''

 Chapter 105 - Special nd Novel #15

    2nd Novel name: The Mafia Ceo''s Treasure

    Hi readers, I just wanted to share the fifteenth chapter of my new novel here. Before I start the chapter, I just want to thank everyone who has been reading my novel , Princess of the Silver Ocean, up till now. Your support means so much for me and I am honestly truly grateful.

    Please note that I will slowly take down the special chapters of my 2nd novel soon from this novel. Like I said earlier, I am only posting these chapters here to attract a larger audience. I will, however, provide you sunshines with special chapters related to Princess of the Silver Ocean very, very soon.

    I will update the next chapter of Princess of the Silver Ocean soon. So, in the mean time, bear with me and read chapter ten of my new novel. Stay healthy, blessed, and drink lots of water for clear skin. Enjoy the fifteenth chapter of my new novel! Byeee!

    Chapter Title: CEO''s Billion Dollar Heart

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Bai lifted his hand and placed his palm on her forehead. Lai froze at his touch and blinked several times, unable to fathom what was happening right now. To her, she felt like she was dreaming.

    "Looks like your fever is dying down," he said with a breath of relief, "Your forehead is not as hot as it was before."

    He placed a portable table over her lap and put the bowl of rice porridge on it. He then walked out and returned with a glass of water and two pills. He placed them on the table and sat on the bed.

    "Eat," he pointed at the porridge.

    She nodded, pressing her lips together and grabbing the silver spoon. She watched as he walked out again and came back with a bowl of catnip and milk, placing it in front of the white cat that had just woken up.

    The cat stretched its body and meowed at him, then began to eat. She had noticed that the cat was bandaged up in some places but was no longer dirty with mud or bloodstains. He noticed her gaze as he sat back down on the side of the bed.

    "I took him to the vet while you were sleeping," he told her, ushering her to eat before the porridge gets cold, "I was told that he will be fine and just needs some rest."

    He watched as she sighed in relief.

    "Thank you," she told him, lifting the spoon to her lips.

    "Be careful, it''s-"

    "HOT!" she cried, putting the spoon down and fanning her burnt tongue.

    "-hot," he finished with a sigh.

    He watched her fan her tongue for two minutes, shook his head, and grabbed the spoon, scooping some rice porridge onto it. He gently blew on it to cool it down.

    "Ah," he told her, opening his mouth for her to do the same.

    The spoon was hovering in the air. He was going to feed her, or else by the time she ate, the rice porridge would be cold, and that would give her already ill body and upset tummy.

    "Lat? (What?)" she asked him, her speech inaudible due to her burnt tongue sticking out her mouth.

    "Let me feed you," he told her, causing her to widen her eyes and close her mouth.

    She shook her head, ''no.''

    "That''s alright," she said, "I can do it mys-"

    "Ah, ah, ah," he increased his pitch with every ''ah.''

    He was not taking ''no'' for an answer. She twiddled her thumb and leaned forward, opening her mouth. He drove the spoon into her mouth. She swallowed the rice porridge on it. She chewed slowly, a pink blush highlighting her already feverish and red body.

    ''What kind of romantic movie plot is this? Is this not what married couples do?'' she wondered, taking another bite of the rice porridge, which he would blow to cool down before she would swallow it.

    ''Or people in relationships? I feel like we are newlyweds,'' she gulped at the thought.

    He continued to feed her until she finished all the rice porridge. Satisfied, he took the bowl and spoon and stood up. He walked to the door but paused and turned around.

    "Drink that medicine now," he told her.

    She nodded, and he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. She put the two pills in her mouth and drank the water. She then sighed as she watched the white cat drink its milk.

    "What did we get ourselves into, kitty?" she asked it.

    The cat meowed at her and began to lick itself. She sighed. Just then, her phone rang, and the caller ID was her mother.

    "Oh, right!" she exclaimed, coming to a realisation, "Mum must be so confused and worried sick about me."

    She picked up the phone and brought it to her ear, thankful that it was not damaged in that crossfire of a fight back at the supermarket.

    "Hello?"

    "LAI LAI!" her mother yelled loudly as if wanting the whole world to hear her.

    She held the phone away from her ear as her ears started ringing. She shook her head and placed her phone on her lap.

    "Mum-" she gulped nervously.

    "DON''T ''MUM'' ME, YOUNG LADY!"

    She pressed her lips together. Although her mother was not on  speaker, her voice was loud enough to fool anyone into thinking she put her mother on speaker.

    "WHERE ARE YOU? IT''S QUARTER PAST 7 RIGHT NOW, AND YOU''RE STILL NOT BACK. I CALLED SO MANY TIMES, BUT COULDN''T REACH YOU! I EVEN LEFT MULTIPLE MESSAGES BUT GOT NO REPLY. WHAT IS GOING ON..."

    She let her mother enter into a fit of questions and did not say anything. She just listened to her mother go on and on and on.

    Bai knocked on her door, and she whispered loudly enough for him to hear but covered the phone so that her mother did not.

    "Don''t speak!" she told him.

    He looked at her with a furrowed brow, confused.

    "...SO, WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU AT WEN''S HOUSE? HELLO? HELLO?"

    She pressed her index finger on her lip, ushering for him to remain quiet. She mouthed the word ''mother'' while pointing at her phone, and he immediately understood.

    "LAI LAI?" she heard her mother call out, "ARE YOU IGNORING YOUR MOTHER RIGHT NOW?"

    "No, mother," she quickly answered, "Please keep your voice down. The neighbors will complain-"

    "Come back home this instant!" her mother couldn''t care less about her damn neighbors right now.

    Bai stared at her looking amused. He tapped her hand she looked at him.

    "Let me talk to her," he whispered.

    "Are you crazy?" she whisper-yelled at him.

    They could hear her mother grabbing pots.

    "Who are you calling crazy?" her mother asked her, and Lai covered her face, "Are you calling your mother crazy?"

    "No, mother," she groaned softly, facepalming herself.

    "You better come back home from wherever you are this inst-"

    "Good evening, Mrs. Xiulan," her mother heard a male voice greet her over the phone.

    "W-who is that?" her mother asked, bewildered.

    "My name is Bai Ying," he told her, "I am a friend of Lai''s."

    "A friend?" her mother asked Bai, sounding very skeptical.

    "Yes, Mrs. Xiulan," he looked up at Lai, who was staring at him with widened eyes and her mouth wide open in surprise.

    "I met your daughter at Pagoda Supermarket, and she fainted due to the rain," he told her mother.

    They both heard a gasp over the phone.

    "Good heavens!" her mother sat on the kitchen chair, "Is she alright? Is my baby okay?"

    He stared into her hazelnut eyes and smiled.

    "Yes," he winked at her, "She''s getting better as I brought her to my house to rest a bit because her place was too far. I promise to bring her home later today."

    "Oh, thank you!" she heard her mother cry out, "Please look after my daughter."

    He nodded.

    "Okay. We will see you later, Mrs. Xiulan."

    With that, he hung up the phone and handed it to her. She took it and stared into his amber eyes.

    "T-thank you," she said softly, placing the phone on the desk next to the bed.

    He nodded and told her to get some rest. He took the portable table and walked to the door.

    "I''ll wake you up in an hour or so," he told her and closed the door.

    ''This guy really is kind-hearted,'' she smiled, ''You can''t even tell that he is part of the mafia.''

    She let out a long sigh and groaned at the million questions her mother was going to ask her when she went back home. Shaking her head, she glanced at the white cat and found him asleep.

    "Yeah," she mumbled, laying her head on the pillow and closing her eyes shut, "Good idea.. Let me also sleep and wake up with some energy to deal with my mother and all of this."

 Chapter 106 - The Riddle Race Part 10

    Davitt smiled and watched as Astoria took out a piece of the puzzle from her belt bag. She showed it to the treant, and it nodded. The treant slowly stretched its large branch hand at them.

    In its hand was another piece of their puzzle. She took the puzzle piece and thanked the treant, putting the puzzle piece safely in her bag. Now, they had just one more puzzle piece to collect.

    "We better get going now," the fairy said, "We have one more place to go, and that''s the Anthousai Museum."

    They all nodded and waved goodbye to the treant. It shook its head, causing a few of its green leaves to drop to the ground. They then left the Heavenly Spruce Forest.

    "Wow," the fairy said as Astoria hailed a cab, "That was amazing. Seeing a treant for the first time felt like I was dreaming!"

    Laojin turned to face her, a confused look on his face.

    "I thought you said you came here when you were younger," the troll said, "So didn''t you see a treant back then?"

    The fairy shook her head ''no.''

    "At that time," the fairy explained, "There were no treants here in Ashen, and this forest did not exist."

    "Ah, I see," Laojin said, nodding in understanding.

    "Let''s go," Astoria said, getting into a cab.

    The cab drove to their last destination, the Anthousai Museum. Although it was a museum, it had the appearance of a massive castle. Eleven narrow, square towers were scattered in a seemingly random pattern, but had been bulit for an ideal defense against thieves. It was connected by huge, massive walls made of obsidian.

    Simple windows are scattered thinly around the walls in fairly symmetrical patterns. They stared at the vast pink gate with broad metal doors and the guards standing at the entrance.

    Small bushes grew close to the Anthousai Museum gate. This museum looked very new, but without knowing its history it is impossible to tell if it is a newly bulit museum or a well kept one.

    "Umm..." Laojin stared at the castle-like museum, "A-are we sure this is a museum?"

    Laurelai glanced at the troll and shrugged.

    "He''s right," she said, looking at Davitt, "Are we at the right place? Did I read the map wrong?"

    The fairy began to look at the map in her hands.

    "Is this really a museum because it looks more like a castle to me?" she mumbled to herself as she stared intently at the map.

    "Yeah," Davitt said, giving her a quick glance, "This is the Anthousai Museum."

    "It is so beautiful," Astoria said, staring at the museum Infront of them.

    "Agreed," the fairy and troll said in unison.

    Davitt began to walk to the entrance and there was a witch who was near the entrance. She smiled upon seeing them as if she was expecting them.

    "Hello!" she said cheerily.

    They noticed that she was wearing a work uniform.

    "Is she an employee of the museum?" the fairy whispered to Astoria who just shrugged.

    ''Judging from her work uniform,'' Astoria thought, pressing her lips together, ''I think she is.''

    She wore an almost school-like work uniform. She wore a navy coloured paneled skirt. The skirt reached down to just above her ankles. The skirt was paired with regular socks and Mary Jane shoes colored in scarlet and navy respectively.

    She wore a fairly short sleeved shirt, which was neatly tucked into her skirt and covered with a short navy jacket. A navy tie that divides the middle of her barely buttoned up jacket was worn. The ties broadly striped in the same colors. Her jacket had colored lines around the sleeves.

    "Is she a student?" Laojin asked Davitt.

    The witch laughed, her hands placed on her waist.

    "No, no," she said, waving her hands frantically in the air, "I am not a student."

    "Then why are you wearing a school uniform?" Laojin slowly asked, raising his eyebrow as he felt both weary and skeptical about the witch standing in front of them.

    The witch grit her teeth and squinted her brown eyes.

    "I told that ass of a boss that wearing a work uniform like this one would give the wrong idea," the witch mumbled to herself, clenching her fists, "But he has such a wierd taste and insisted. Tourist do not take me seriously."

    She sighed and looked at the people standing in front of her. She smiled apologetically and shrugged.

    "Believe it or not-" she began to speak in a clam manner with gritted teeth.

    It was funny how everyone, except for the troll who was completely oblivious, could tell that the troll made the witch angry with the question he had asked her.

    "I think you made her angry," Laurelai quickly whispered to Laojin.

    Laojin blinked in surprise.

    "Angry?" he quietly asked the fairy who nodded vigorously, "But I was just asking. It was not my intention to anger her. I thought she was a student."

    "-this is my work uniform," the witch continued as she watched the troll and fairy whisper to each other, "My boss has a...peculiar taste."

    "Oh," was all Laojin could say.

    "Anyway," the witch quickly said, "that is beside the point. What brings you to the Anthousai museum?"

    Everyone looked at the group leader, Davitt.

    "We are doing the Riddle Race and this is our last stop," Davitt told the witch whose face suddenly radiated with happiness.

    "Ah! The Riddle Race?" the witch said, clapping her hands together.

    Astoria nodded, watching the witch who she felt like had multiple identities, jump in excitement.

    ''She is quite a temperamental one, this witch,'' Astoria thought with an amused look on her face.

    "That is great," the witch said, clasping her hands behind her back, "because I am your last stop."

    "You are?" the fairy asked with raised eyebrows.

    "But you are not wearing a whit-"

    "-I do not like that boring t-shirt," the witch said, interrupting Laojin and shutting him up with a brown-eyed glare, "But I will prove it to you."

    The witch placed her hands in her jacket pockets and pulled out two puzzle pieces and a scrunched up white t-shirt with a hyacinth flower.

    "I see our puzzle piece," Astoria said, staring at the witch''s palms.

    Astoria then looked up at the witch''s brown eyes.

    "Do we have a challenge to complete or..."

    The witch shook her head, ''yes.''

    "Firstly, I will give you four entrance tickets so that you can enter the museum," the witch began speaking, staring at each of them except Laojin who avoided eye contact, thus averting his gaze from her.

    The witch ''hmphed'' and continued speaking, pulling out four entrance tickets from the inside pocket of her navy jacket.

    "When you go inside," she continued, "Go to the gem section. There, your challenge awaits. Once you have successfully completed your challenge, come back here to me. I will then give you your riddle."

    Everyone nodded and the witch smiled.

    "Here are your entrance tickets," she said, handing each of them a ticket, "Please make sure you do not touch anything once you are inside."

    The witch then crossed her arms and fixed her eyes on Laojin, the troll.

    "If you break anything," she said, changing her tone into a serious one and not blinking her eyes at all, "Anything at all. You will be liable."

    Laojin looked to the left and right, feeling her menacing gaze on him. He gulped and pressed his lips together.

    "Okay," the witch said, fisting her hands in the air and smiling, "Good luck!"

    They all nodded and stepped into the castle-like museum.

    "Aaaah," Laojin groaned, letting out a long sigh in the process once he stepped into the museum.

    "What is wrong?" Astoria asked him, raising her eyebrow as they made their way to the gem section using the arrows and labels for directions.

    "I thought she was going to cast a spell on me or something," the troll replied, rubbing his neck in distress, "Like turn me into an ant maybe and then step on me."

    He let out a half-hearted laugh and pressed his lips together.

    "She cannot do that," the fairy said to him with a smile.

    "Yeah," Astoria added, "Wouldn''t that be considered as murder?"

    Davitt stared at the label above the wall and turned to a hallway, the rest following closely behind him.

    "She had a murderous look on her face," they heard the gargoyle class president say as he looked around as they walked, "It was directed at Laojin though."

    "What did I do!?" the troll exclaimed, shaking his head, "All I asked was why she wore a school uniform so...Oh."

    Astoria and Laurelai laughed in unison when the troll realised that the reason the witch seemed to dislike him was because of that question.

    "She must get asked that question a lot so she was probably angry at you because of that," Davitt said, coming to a stop, "Also, we are here."

    They stared at the gem section of the Anthousai Museum.

 Chapter 107 - The Riddle Race Part 11

    Davitt smiled and watched as Astoria took out a piece of the puzzle from her belt bag. She showed it to the treant, and it nodded. The treant slowly stretched its large branch hand at them.

    In its hand was another piece of their puzzle. She took the puzzle piece and thanked the treant, putting the puzzle piece safely in her bag. Now, they had just one more puzzle piece to collect.

    "We better get going now," the fairy said, "We have one more place to go, and that''s the Anthousai Museum."

    They all nodded and waved goodbye to the treant. It shook its head, causing a few of its green leaves to drop to the ground. They then left the Heavenly Spruce Forest.

    "Wow," the fairy said as Astoria hailed a cab, "That was amazing. Seeing a treant for the first time felt like I was dreaming!"

    Laojin turned to face her, a confused look on his face.

    "I thought you said you came here when you were younger," the troll said, "So didn''t you see a treant back then?"

    The fairy shook her head ''no.''

    "At that time," the fairy explained, "There were no treants here in Ashen, and this forest did not exist."

    "Ah, I see," Laojin said, nodding in understanding.

    "Let''s go," Astoria said, getting into a cab.

    The cab drove to their last destination, the Anthousai Museum. Although it was a museum, it had the appearance of a massive castle. Eleven narrow, square towers were scattered in a seemingly random pattern, but had been bulit for an ideal defense against thieves. It was connected by huge, massive walls made of obsidian.

    Simple windows are scattered thinly around the walls in fairly symmetrical patterns. They stared at the vast pink gate with broad metal doors and the guards standing at the entrance.

    Small bushes grew close to the Anthousai Museum gate. This museum looked very new, but without knowing its history it is impossible to tell if it is a newly bulit museum or a well kept one.

    "Umm..." Laojin stared at the castle-like museum, "A-are we sure this is a museum?"

    Laurelai glanced at the troll and shrugged.

    "He''s right," she said, looking at Davitt, "Are we at the right place? Did I read the map wrong?"

    The fairy began to look at the map in her hands.

    "Is this really a museum because it looks more like a castle to me?" she mumbled to herself as she stared intently at the map.

    "Yeah," Davitt said, giving her a quick glance, "This is the Anthousai Museum."

    "It is so beautiful," Astoria said, staring at the museum Infront of them.

    "Agreed," the fairy and troll said in unison.

    Davitt began to walk to the entrance and there was a witch who was near the entrance. She smiled upon seeing them as if she was expecting them.

    "Hello!" she said cheerily.

    They noticed that she was wearing a work uniform.

    "Is she an employee of the museum?" the fairy whispered to Astoria who just shrugged.

    ''Judging from her work uniform,'' Astoria thought, pressing her lips together, ''I think she is.''

    She wore an almost school-like work uniform. She wore a navy coloured paneled skirt. The skirt reached down to just above her ankles. The skirt was paired with regular socks and Mary Jane shoes colored in scarlet and navy respectively.

    She wore a fairly short sleeved shirt, which was neatly tucked into her skirt and covered with a short navy jacket. A navy tie that divides the middle of her barely buttoned up jacket was worn. The ties broadly striped in the same colors. Her jacket had colored lines around the sleeves.

    "Is she a student?" Laojin asked Davitt.

    The witch laughed, her hands placed on her waist.

    "No, no," she said, waving her hands frantically in the air, "I am not a student."

    "Then why are you wearing a school uniform?" Laojin slowly asked, raising his eyebrow as he felt both weary and skeptical about the witch standing in front of them.

    The witch grit her teeth and squinted her brown eyes.

    "I told that ass of a boss that wearing a work uniform like this one would give the wrong idea," the witch mumbled to herself, clenching her fists, "But he has such a wierd taste and insisted. Tourist do not take me seriously."

    She sighed and looked at the people standing in front of her. She smiled apologetically and shrugged.

    "Believe it or not-" she began to speak in a clam manner with gritted teeth.

    It was funny how everyone, except for the troll who was completely oblivious, could tell that the troll made the witch angry with the question he had asked her.

    "I think you made her angry," Laurelai quickly whispered to Laojin.

    Laojin blinked in surprise.

    "Angry?" he quietly asked the fairy who nodded vigorously, "But I was just asking. It was not my intention to anger her. I thought she was a student."

    "-this is my work uniform," the witch continued as she watched the troll and fairy whisper to each other, "My boss has a...peculiar taste."

    "Oh," was all Laojin could say.

    "Anyway," the witch quickly said, "that is beside the point. What brings you to the Anthousai museum?"

    Everyone looked at the group leader, Davitt.

    "We are doing the Riddle Race and this is our last stop," Davitt told the witch whose face suddenly radiated with happiness.

    "Ah! The Riddle Race?" the witch said, clapping her hands together.

    Astoria nodded, watching the witch who she felt like had multiple identities, jump in excitement.

    ''She is quite a temperamental one, this witch,'' Astoria thought with an amused look on her face.

    "That is great," the witch said, clasping her hands behind her back, "because I am your last stop."

    "You are?" the fairy asked with raised eyebrows.

    "But you are not wearing a whit-"

    "-I do not like that boring t-shirt," the witch said, interrupting Laojin and shutting him up with a brown-eyed glare, "But I will prove it to you."

    The witch placed her hands in her jacket pockets and pulled out two puzzle pieces and a scrunched up white t-shirt with a hyacinth flower.

    "I see our puzzle piece," Astoria said, staring at the witch''s palms.

    Astoria then looked up at the witch''s brown eyes.

    "Do we have a challenge to complete or..."

    The witch shook her head, ''yes.''

    "Firstly, I will give you four entrance tickets so that you can enter the museum," the witch began speaking, staring at each of them except Laojin who avoided eye contact, thus averting his gaze from her.

    The witch ''hmphed'' and continued speaking, pulling out four entrance tickets from the inside pocket of her navy jacket.

    "When you go inside," she continued, "Go to the gem section. There, your challenge awaits. Once you have successfully completed your challenge, come back here to me. I will then give you your riddle."

    Everyone nodded and the witch smiled.

    "Here are your entrance tickets," she said, handing each of them a ticket, "Please make sure you do not touch anything once you are inside."

    The witch then crossed her arms and fixed her eyes on Laojin, the troll.

    "If you break anything," she said, changing her tone into a serious one and not blinking her eyes at all, "Anything at all. You will be liable."

    Laojin looked to the left and right, feeling her menacing gaze on him. He gulped and pressed his lips together.

    "Okay," the witch said, fisting her hands in the air and smiling, "Good luck!"

    They all nodded and stepped into the castle-like museum.

    "Aaaah," Laojin groaned, letting out a long sigh in the process once he stepped into the museum.

    "What is wrong?" Astoria asked him, raising her eyebrow as they made their way to the gem section using the arrows and labels for directions.

    "I thought she was going to cast a spell on me or something," the troll replied, rubbing his neck in distress, "Like turn me into an ant maybe and then step on me."

    He let out a half-hearted laugh and pressed his lips together.

    "She cannot do that," the fairy said to him with a smile.

    "Yeah," Astoria added, "Wouldn''t that be considered as murder?"

    Davitt stared at the label above the wall and turned to a hallway, the rest following closely behind him.

    "She had a murderous look on her face," they heard the gargoyle class president say as he looked around as they walked, "It was directed at Laojin though."

    "What did I do!?" the troll exclaimed, shaking his head, "All I asked was why she wore a school uniform so...Oh."

    Astoria and Laurelai laughed in unison when the troll realised that the reason the witch seemed to dislike him was because of that question.

    "She must get asked that question a lot so she was probably angry at you because of that," Davitt said, coming to a stop, "Also, we are here."

    They stared at the gem section of the Anthousai Museum. Multiple gems were on display. Gems of different colours glistened in the lighting.

    "This looks like the challenge," Laurelai said, pointing to gold engraved writing on a silver plaque.

    Astoria nodded and bent her head, slumping her shoulders in the process. She read the challenge.

    "It says here," Astoria began to explain to them, "that we have five gems and among them is a fake. We have to find which is the fake gem based on the descriptions and clues given."

    "Seems easy enough...I think," the fairy said, pressing her lips together.

    "And if we have the correct answer?" Laojin asked, "Do we have to go to the witch to see if we are correct?"

    Astoria and Davitt nodded in unison.

    "But if we are wrong," Astoria sighed, feeling irritated all of a sudden, "We will have to come back here to a new set of gems."

    "What?" the fairy exclaimed, earning a few looks from other creatures walking by.

    "That is insane," Laojin groaned, slumping his shoulders.

    "Agreed," Astoria nodded, "So, let''s be smart about this, especially since this is our last stop."

    The fairy sighed and nodded.

    "How will we get new gems though?" the troll asked, "Will the witch make these ones disappear with her magic?"

    "Probably," Astoria and Davitt both said in unison.

    "Okay!" the fairy exclaimed again, clasping her hands together in front of her chest, "Let''s do this. We can do it. It is our last stop so let''s do our best as Nexi said."

    They all nodded in agreement.

    "Okay," the fairy said to them, "I will read the descriptions and clues given. You, guys, pay close attention, got it?"

    They nodded and began to listen to her as she read the descriptions of the gems.