Ceres

55

Leona listened to everything that her brothers reported. She occasionally asks questions. This is how she does things. She doesn't immediately take sides but instead, made judgments after she gathered enough information.

"I still want to meet him though."

Both her brothers froze.

"There are things that even people with status and people who are gifted can't actually control. Maybe he was forced to accept our arrangement. We all know how father thinks. He wouldn't pick just anyone for me."

She looks at her brothers occasionally while holding her chin and looking on the floor as if she was thinking hard.

"I personally think that the third prince values friendship more than anything and worries that his friend was mixed with some mishap. I think it shows that he is definitely a good person."

She nodded as if talking only to herself.

"I will still go to the competition. I want to meet him and get to know more about him. Well, that's the only way to know if we're even suited for each other, right?"

Instead of breaking her hopes and image of the third prince, the twins actually heightened her amazement towards the said prince. And so, the trip will still continue and they will visit Winsterein kingdom soon.

The most affected person in the group would be Herra. She will never get to celebrate with her lover during their anniversary. Let's hope they'll still love each other despite such change of plans.

---

In a snowy region, north of Winsterein kingdom, a number of people wearing either a sky blue dress or sky blue body fit leather clothing were practicing different kinds of weapons in the midst of a snowy night. Despite the coldness, none of them were wearing any coat or warmers. Instead, they were even perspiring and as if treating the cold night like the middle of summer.

A person dressed in a white and sky blue long gown with a half-tied thigh-length white hair that seems to blend with the surrounding snow was overseeing the whole practice area.

Out of the blue, a woman wearing a sky blue gown stood behind the person quietly observing the area. She half-knelt on the ground covered in thin snow.

"Winsterein kingdom schools' competition. Princess of Fay kingdom. Leona Reynolds."

The person she reported to didn't move nor made any sound. For a while, that person only stood there.

Then, all of the sudden, she looked up at the far sky and saw the huge white round moon. In her eyes, the moon was reflected along with the rain of snow. Those eyes seem to glitter. However, if one looked closely, those eyes were void of emotions and of life.

"I understand."

The voice was gentle and soothing; like that person is singing a lullaby to one's ears. That very same voice is undoubtedly a woman's.

"Make arrangements. I will depart tomorrow morning."

The woman who was half-kneeling immediately disappeared while the other one walked away from the practice area. She silently disappeared in the rain of snow.

After arriving in a cliff overlooking their village, she quietly sat down on the snowy ground. Part of her half-tied thigh-length white hair glistens on the ground.

"For every death, a life will be saved."

Behind her, a hole in the ground with the size of a coffin suddenly appeared. Around it, flowers made of ice crystals were slowly appearing out of thin air. They slowly increased in numbers until they reached the other ice crystal flowers near them.

One can see that within the cliff's vicinity, there is a field of ice crystal flowers. It seems to be covering a bunch of lumps on the snowy ground.

The woman closed her eyes and the snow continued to fall. She seemingly blends with it and disappears in thin air.

---

In a certain bar of a certain city in Winsterein kingdom, the people drinking we're having a good time and being loud. This is common in this bar and nobody dares to cause any trouble. A man wearing adventurer's clothes came in but still, the happy atmosphere continued and nobody shifted their gaze onto that man. The said man went straight into the counter where a bartender was busy giving out drinks to the waiter or customers in the counter. The bartender was a huge man with a muscular built and when the man arrived at the counter, the bartender was just cleaning a glass mug.

The man wearing adventurer's clothes sat in front of the counter and gestured for the bartender to come close. The bartender was not angry because it was pretty normal for people to ask them to come close to order something. But, the bartender's face changed from a merry one to a serious one when he heard what the man ordered.

"I'd like one glass of sparkling wine please."

Right after saying those words, the whole bar became silent.

One must know that such rowdy bar will have customers ordering strong alcohol and such. For a person who orders a sparkling wine which is considered only for people with status, this person must be...

The bartender seriously looked at the man who just ordered while the other customers were readying themselves. All of them were holding onto their weapons and are suddenly ready for a battlefield.

"Would you like something to accompany that, mister?"

"Then, I'd also like a striated red fire grass."

The bartender then placed down the glass he was cleaning and signaled for everyone to continue what they're doing. Everything went back to normal. However, the man who ordered such out of the place drink was asked to follow the bartender inside the kitchen.

At the end of the kitchen is a steel door. The bartender opened the door using brute force. Then, he led the man inside wherein he saw a stairway going down.

The path ended within a few minutes and they came inside a huge arena. The arena was circular in shape and the audience seats were around the battle stage which is then located in the lowest middlemost part of the arena. There were numerous people watching a fight currently happening in the battle stage. There were various noises from people shouting and being enthusiastic about the fight. Of course, these people were also betting so they were pouring their energy in their shouts hoping that the person they placed on their bets will win.

The bartender coughed and the man's attention was back at the bartender again. Both of them walked towards another door in another area of the arena.

Openingthe door, the man saw a person quietly meditating in the middle of it. He waswearing a red hood and cloak which makes it difficult to know what he lookslike. The room has nothing inside except for the person meditating in it. -tbc

A/N: I survived! I posted until chapter 55. I'm so proud of myself. ;A; *pats my own shoulder*

I needed to correct some grammar issues in some previous chapters but seeing how slow this internet connection is... I think I have to postpone it for another time. And, I'll be staying in another place next week so maybe I won't be online for a couple of days. I don't know. Let's see... Hmm... Anyway, thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it! :)