The Twelve and one extra ended up staying way past their bedtime, practicing in the wee hours of the night.
When they realized they still had classes the next day, they immediately scampered to put things back in place and clean up. The room had become messy during their practice, with plates and glasses dumped on an old table in the farside corner of the room where they had a half an hour long snack.
"I feel lazy." Elfre stared at the mess they made. "I don't feel like getting up."
Valeriana was diligently setting aside the dishes, something she was used to doing. Just as she prepared to carry them upstairs, Corvan voiced out a small question.
"What do you plan on doing?"
The fifth turned to gaze back at him. "I'm planning to do the dishes before I go to sleep."
He stood. "That is no longer your obligation."
"But--"
"That was before." Tamara piped in, standing up herself. "We were just wondering how far you'll go. You don't need to do all the chores around anymore."
Valeriana gave them an eye roll. "The whole lackey thing, huh?" She then laughed.
"The Headmaster informed us the new housekeeper will be coming tomorrow." Charles said. "So we'll just have to leave them in the kitchen and let her do everything else."
"We'll be even more busy the coming week." Raziel stated. "You will not be given the time to do your usual routine."
"Speaking of that." Rowe interjected. "We need to plan out what time we will meet. As you know, we still have other things we need to attend to regarding the other program."
Sighs, groans, and grunts were heard throughout the room. Zion perked up, curious.
"I've heard of rumors." Said the non-ranker. "Is this about you people fighting each other?"
"So you've heard."
Zion reclined on his chair and shot the first-ranker a lopsided smirk. "This makes me wonder. Who will be challenging the great Lord Corvan for the position of first-ranker?"
"That would be me, apparently." Valeriana wearily answered. "Because it makes things interesting."
A look of shock from disbelief spread across the blue-haired lad's face. He leaned forward, expressing his interest in the matter. Even so, before he could further ask some questions, he was cut off by the sound of the Twelve's departure.
"The topic is not open for discussion." Corvan's expression was dead serious, void of any emotion that offered an insight to his thoughts. "Call time has long since been over in the regular residences. Shouldn't you be leaving?"
"I can sneak into my room just fine." He jumped to his feet and dashed for the stairs. "I guess I am a bit tired, though."
"Practice will start at seven after dinner. Everyone is free to do what they wish before then." Corvan announced.
In a split second, Zion disappeared right before their very eyes. This was the signal for the others to leave as well.
"I think I'll have to miss the practice for tomorrow." Valeriana informed them. "Just this once. Lady Seraphina and I will go somewhere important. I might stay for the first few minutes . . ."
Curious gazes were shot her way.
"It's important, so go ahead." Aneeka said, patting her back as she went straight out.
"I think we'll be able to handle ourselves just fine." Keelan beamed. "And I'll do my best with the DJ!"
"Best." Brindon repeated.
"We'll be discussing what role the others who won't be playing will be." Charles said.
Valeriana was relieved by their response. At first, she thought they would be angry with her. After all, this was her idea. She, out of everyone else, was responsible for this entire thing.
The Circle was dependable though. No doubt they would handle it themselves just fine.
With that out of the way, Valeriana attended her classes the next day and accomplished all her appointed tasks. Seraphina said tomorrow night and she was certain she had said that last night. Thankfully, her day was fairly uneventful and void of any trouble.
Afterwards, uncertain and nervous, she dressed herself into the most comfortable clothes she had--her old sneakers, jeans, and a shirt with bold printed words saying 'I'm cool'. She also put her hair up in its usual hairdo, a high ponytail.
It would be ridiculous, seeing as she was going to meet someone she was uncertain of. Even so, she still had to brainstorm how exactly she was going to go through with this.
Lady Seraphina said to wait for her in their usual meeting place, so here she was, looking around like an idiot.
"Valeriana?" The voice of the woman sounded dubious. "You are wearing those clothes . . ."
The girl jumped in response and turned to meet her eyes. "Lady Seraphina! I don't have anything else to wear for a trip outside. I don't exactly want to wear my uniform."
"I see . . . but it hardly matters. Come with me immediately. We do not have much time."
Valeriana observed the woman being somewhat on the edge that moment. Seraphina was usually composed and she had never seen the woman lose her cool in exception for the times she was arguing with the Headmaster. Even when she was fighting demons, Seraphina was a knight with nerves of steel--at least, that was usually how Valeriana saw her.
Running after her guardian, they headed to the doors she came to know as the teleportation portals, the safest way out of the academy without having to go through the Dark Continent itself.
Seraphina placed a hand on the knob and said, "To the city of Rosellevienne at the heart of the Central Continent."
She then opened the doors and a new sight greeted her from the other side. The knight wasted no time, though, and immediately slipped through without hesitation. She gave Valeriana a quick wave of her hand, beckoning her to come forward.
"Quickly now."
Valeriana felt herself freeze for a milisecond as she realized what had been waiting for them in the other side. The door led right into the streets where there were dozens of people going around. Her clothes were totally out of place.
Why did she even have to wear these?
Eyes shot curious gazes their way. The girl self-consciously kept her head down and trailed after Seraphina hurriedly.
Even so, she could not help but sneak a peek at their surroundings from time to time. With cobblestone as the pavement, lanterns dotted the structures that lined the path they went through. Busy chatter resounded in her ears.
The view was not much different from what she had already seen before in Preluresia and Larkovia. The difference could be seen in the civilians walking through. Dark-skinned or white, red-haired or not, they differed drastically in terms of appearance.
Valeriana had not studied their cultural diversity very much to truly know from which continents do they originate. What humans liked to call interracial marriages was not exactly an uncommon practice, as she had heard, especially between the noble families marrying into one another for some sort of tradition.
The Central Continent was like a union point for everyone from the many continents to meet and improve relations.
This was not much different from back on Earth during the ancient times. Valemnia was still chivalrous and somewhat . . . old-style.
Anyhow, it could not be helped. Their advancement could be measured through their magical innovations of all sorts. Though they lacked focus on electronic gadgets and facilities, their standard of living was quite high.
Valeriana felt jealous. To be quite frank, she preferred this life more.
The only downside to it was the internet.
For Pete's sake, when was the last time she logged in on Facebook?!
"Valeriana, pay attention." Seraphina chided, gazing at her with narrowed eyes.
She looked up, startled. "Yes?"
"This is no time to dawdle. You have to keep it together."
"I'm sorry."
"This way. Hurry."
The girl was pulled into a shop. Their entrance was signaled by a small, hanging bell, causing the shopkeeper to look up from behind the counter.
His skin was sun-kissed, emphasizing the strange peachy color of his eyes and hair. "Can I help you?"
"Belvark." Seraphina addressed.
His eyes flashed and he smiled. "Ah, yes, Lady Seraphina. The room is this way. I gave you the most spacious one I could find." He waved to his right and led them to a narrow hall. "Please pardon, this may not be the best accomodation, but I hope you find it comfortable."
"As long as it fits the requirement I have given, I have no complains."
They trod their way to an isolated room in the farthest side of the building, making Valeriana feel uncomfortable at the impending meet-up.
"Your destination is this door." He said. "I shall take my leave. Do call if you need anything at all. I shall lend my best service."
"Thank you."
Valeriana felt the lower half of her body become paralyzed. She stood before the room in absolute fear.
"Okay, I've got to get this out of the way. I know I've said it before and I'm saying it again." She took a deep breath. "I'm not even sure if this would work, but I will do my best."
"Your efforts are appreciated, Valeriana. You need not worry. There will be no grudges held against you if this ever fails." Seraphina reminded. "I shall stay out here and guard, so do go in."
Valeriana gave her a wary expression. "Why exactly do you need to?"
"Let us just say that this is a stolen time." She said.
She wasn't sure what to feel about that.
"Go in. We have no time to spare."
With that, she was pushed inside.
The room was plain. No ostentatious decorations or whatsoever. There was a lone bedside table and cotton white sheets draped over the mattress, partnered with matching pillow cases. The wooden floorboards and flickering lamp truly made it a clichè, out-of-the-movie scenario.
The door was closed behind her, making the girl jump. "H-hello?"
There was a sharp intake of breath.
"I cannot believe it." Someone hoarsely whispered.
Valeriana's head whipped to the other side, following the sound of the voice. A cloaked figure sat on a chair facing a round table by the wall.
"To think we would meet like this again."
"Sorry. Do I know you?"
The person flipped back the hood that covered his face.
It was Valeriana's turn to be shocked. "Oh my gosh."
Unlike the first few times they have met, the entirety of the boy's features had been overtaken by the color of black. There was only one remaining thick bunch of his hair that remained blond, not to mention his eyes were bleeding the color of midnight. The last two rays remained on his right eye.
"A demonic transformation . . . so this was what you have been trying to tell me before?" Her lips turned down at the realization. How stupid for her to take more than a month to know what he meant. No wonder they called her stupid. "I didn't realize you were going through so much . . . I'm sorry. I didn't think twice since I thought they were highlights . . ."
"When I heard there was hope, I immediately jumped for it. I didn't realize it would be you." He told her.
Afraid to seem rude, she stood upright and still. "About that, I'm not sure if this would work."
He forced a smile. "You don't have to be like that. We aren't exactly strangers. Please take your seat. I don't want to seem incongruous."
She nervously inched towards the other chair facing him. "U-uh . . . thank you?"
He waited for her to sit down before he spoke again. "If you can tell me anything that would help, please . . ."
"Understood." Valeriana nodded at him. "To be honest, I discovered recently about this ability. I'm far from understanding it but when Lady Seraphina spoke about someone needing purifying, I thought maybe I could help."
"You can . . . purify?"
"That's what it seems."
"How? I thought you were--"
"Human? I did too." She looked down at her lap. "Turns out life is full of surprises."
"What do you know so far about my condition then?"
"We discovered that a strange infection is spreading, forcing demonic transformation. Even the continental guardians are affected."
He certainly looked curious, not to mention bewildered, by the news.
"Something was done to reverse all that, though. The holy lake in Prelurèsia made that possible. However, a sacrifice needs to be done since it isn't spring."
"A sacrifice?"
"A life. To open the flow of purity into the lake as a life departs." She said, staring straight into his dark eyes. "But we don't want that. So, I may have an alternative."
"What sort?"
She took a deep breath and pulled on the tips of her gloves. "Whatever you see, please don't tell it to anybody. I'm still not sure what to make of it."
When the accessories were off, she turned her palm over and showed him the marking she developed over time. After that last purification, it seemed to have grown a bit bigger that it resembled an octopus extending its tectacles.
"What is this?"
"Whatever I am to do, do you give your consent?" She asked, remembering what the king's brother told her. "Will you trust me?"
"Trust is a hard thing to give."
"Without it, I cannot proceed."
He stared into her blue eyes, searching for any signs of deceit and lies. The absolute sincerity in her heart was evident in both her voice and her eyes, making his distrust waver and give in.
"Alright. I will. I give you my consent. But please tell what this is--"
She did not answer him, instead, she reached out to touch his hand. He flinched from the gesture so she firmly secured her fingers around his wrist.
The onslaught of his memories assaulted her own mind that it shocked them both.
'Why is this happening? I do not understand . . .'
It was only then that the vision turned to a mirror, showing the reflection of Kyrell with what Valeriana dubbed his highlights before. The distraught in his eyes was palpable.
A scream tore through his throat, a wave of depression and distress hitting the room like a tsunami. 'If a ruler like me is put on the throne, then what kind of kingdom will it be? Why not let the Candidate Selection proceed? There is no use--'
'Stop it now, Prince Bertram! That is no way to speak!' Edeltraud scolded. 'It is a must that you are put on the throne. Your father is weakening. We have no time to hold the Candidate Selection and we are, in no way, capable of telling everyone you are denounced. If done so and the king crumbles, there will be chaos. They will be under the impression that the very foundation of the world's protection is incapable of further performing its duties! Those demons are only waiting for any moment to strike. You need to be seen on your coming-of-age all well and strong. It is the only way.'
There was a short pause. 'What about uncle?'
'He does not desire to be king. He refuses to take responsibility no matter the cause.' The man sighed and he reached out to comfort the prince. 'Your Majesty, this is the doing of demons. You must not give in. You are the only direct descendant left carrying the blood of the First King. If they see they've won, it'll give them a reason to attack. You must not give in. You must never give in. We will find a way and Lady Seraphina will find a way.'
'But what about the other nobles? They are insistent on the Candidate Selection . . .'
'No matter what reason they use, it is undoubtedly because they vie for the pride. But it is also because they wish to test you.' He replied. 'It is natural. All weak will be eliminated and, in the end, it will be the survival of the fittest. We will need a ruler who can carry the weight of the crown. If you cannot surpass this, then you will not gain the respect of the other noble families nor will you ever be able to carry out the duties of a king. Show them you are worthy, my prince.'
There was a moment of silence.
'The fact that you are turning into a demon does not make you weak or unfit of the throne. It is because you are strong that you are being targeted and going through this entire ordeal. You yourself know the hardships you have gone through to get to where you are now. Survive this. If experience does not make you the best, it will make you better.'
Valeriana released his hand and gave him the widest eyes. Kyrell--or Prince Bertram--mirrored the look with the same amount of bewilderment. His eyes were heavy with tears.
It was clearer now.
"You are . . . the crown prince?"