Zodiac Circle

Chapter 15: Riza's Father

Things in the Order went on smoothly. Tamie often trained, her 'sisters' took jobs, and the life went on, full of happiness and joy. Tamie finally felt that here, in Rosenweld, in the order of Rose Cruce, she was home, in the right place... and whenever she missed her parents (which happened rather often), she would call them and have long chats with them, telling them about all sorts of things she and Nick had undergone on those days. It felt amazing.

But one day, Tamie and her friends understood that happiness was not eternal but could often give its place to obstacles and difficulties, then to be felt doubly as strong again... On that particular day, the beginning of difficulties came, and it concerned Riza's past, which the girl didn't like talking about, so her friends knew nothing of.

The members of the Order were chilling in the hall as usual, and Yuri - a blond guy of Singer Class - was singing on the stage, while Riza and her 'sisters' - Tiger and Tamie - were drinking juices at one of the tables, and the two Elders of the Order - Lord Nick and the Magister - were discussing some philosophical matter at another table, when suddenly someone knocked on the door. Everyone started and looked at it - if it were their member, they would simply let the system know of their presence and enter without knocking!

"Who can it be?" Yuri's voice sounded through the microphone so that everyone could hear.

"I don't think our brethren would need to knock," Edmund furrowed his brow.

Shiba - the same long-white-haired guy who cured Astra before - stood from his chair and walked to the door with clenched fists, apparently ready for anything:

"I'll open".

Blizzard, Tiger's dog, wagged the tail and rushed after Shiba, excited to see the new guest.

"Hey, Blizzard, don't run off so carelessly!" Tiger scolded him, but the dog didn't listen and tagged after Shiba, wagging his tail furiously at him. He really loved Shiba, as it seemed. "Ugh..." Tiger sulkingly crossed arms, displeased that her dog tagged along with some other person than her.

Shiba instead welcomingly smiled at Blizzard and even petted him a little, rendering him even more excited and crazy. Blizzard happily barked at him. Then the boy slowly took the handle, moving it down and making the door creak. It opened. Once he peeped out, his eyes widened - there was a middle-aged, brown-haired, beautiful grey-to-blue-eyed woman standing at the threshold, all covered in her cloak as if wanting to stay hidden.

"Um, what would your desire be here, madam?"

"Excuse me, sir... I'm looking for my daughter, Riza Wagner..." the woman answered in a tearful voice.

Shiba gasped in shock. He almost fell back.

"Shiba, what is it?" Edmund strictly asked him, his frown getting deeper.

Shiba quietly turned back and called Riza, not answering the Magister:

"Riza, come here for a minute!"

Edmund blinked - what was it all about? He stood up too to investigate the case. Riza instead raised an eyebrow surprisedly - why was Shiba calling her out of all people? She quickly ran up to him and looked out of the door, freezing on the place:

"M... Mother?!"

Edmund, as well as all the other members, gasped once they heard Riza's exclaim - she said 'mother'?!

"Riza, so good you're alright. I was so worried!" the woman brightened once saw her beloved daughter and tightly hugged her.

Riza was confused - why was she worried about her? She was always perfectly safe in Rose Cruce Order! She frowned - there was clearly something bad going on...