After the sparring between Randia and Lisabelle in the backyard, the rings finally came back to their owner in the evening of the same day. Viena gave it to Randia while trying to wear it in both of her thumbs, since her other fingers are too small to fit in. Now, the pink diamonds are resting in his hand as the pair of blue eyes solemnly bows to them, worshipping the memories they hold.

  In the dark bedroom, the grace of moonlight bashfully slips through the loose curtains. Randia, who was side sleeping, suddenly feel little hands crawling up on his back. It was Viena. She is wondering why her father keeps staring at the rings she just gave her for almost an hour now.

  "Papa . . . ."

  "Why aren't you sleeping?"

  "I can't sleep."

  "Work out with Lisabelle tomorrow. That will fix your circadian rhythm," Randia hides the rings inside his shirt pocket.

  "What about you? Why aren't you sleeping?" Viena puts her cheek on Randia's ear.

  "I'm almost asleep, but then you come and interrupted."

  "Liar."

  Viena grabbed Randia's cheek and nose and py with them. Randia himself doesn't respond, because he knew that if he did, she would never get sleepy and keep bothering him instead.

  "Papa, are those rings yours?"

  "They are. Why do you ask?"

  "I was thinking of throwing them away."

  Randia turned his body around facing upside and look to Viena's face when he heard those words. She looks a little bit sad for some reason. It's the kind of face that he hasn't seen for a while. The look that he hated the most to see.

  "Why would you do that?"

  "Those rings are beautiful, and there's no way you can afford it. You are too broke to buy such things since you always giving absurd discount to your patients. So maybe . . . Maybe those rings are the reason they chase after you? Maybe if I give them to the officials, they will leave us alone, and we can stay here forever."

  Instead of saying anything, Randia took the rings out of his pocket and held them high.

  "Are they that beautiful?"

  "Yes! Those rings must be some kind of a treasure that you stole."

  "I see. I guess so."

  Randia rise from his bed and Viena is a little surprised. He keeps staring at the rings as Viena gets closer to his side.

  "These rings were supposed to be my . . . wedding rings. A merchant from Ilustra named Aamil gave me a pair of gemstones, and then Merry - a good friend of mine - craft them into these rings."

  In all of a sudden, Viena's sleepiness disappeared completely. She believed that her dad has been a miserable loner all his life given how prickly his personality is. Who would ever think that even someone like Randia could have a past with someone else other than himself in mind.

  "Hey, Papa! Why don't you tell me about her? About your wife."

  "It's complicated and something not easy to tell."

  "Just a five-minute brief story pleasee? I will sleep right after!"

  "Why does it even matter to-"

  Randia's words stopped halfway when she sees Viena's eyes looking so determined. He somehow knows for sure that she would be very bothersome for all night if he refused to give her what she asked for. Hence, he can only take a deep breath and shifted his body a little to move closer to the wall and opens her right arm wide. Seeing the created space Randia had made, Viena immediately snuggled into his bnket and rest her head on his armpit.

  "It's just that . . . I used to have a strong feeling for a certain someone."

  "Was she pretty? What did she look like?"

  "Now that I think about it, your eyes reminded me of her hair. Velvety carmine like strawberry jam, long and straight down to her waist. You can imagine how messy it was for the people standing behind her during windy days."

  Viena ughed as Randia tickles her face with his fingers.

  "Did she have blue eyes like you?"

  "No. Her eyes were green, like the vast meadow we saw a few months ago."

  "Red and green? Pfft. What is she? An apple?"

  "That is . . . a good parable. She was sweet and sour at times."

  Seeing Randia's eyes wandering far beyond the rings and the roof of their bedrooms, Viena pyed with her fingers on his body. Running and jumping as if they were her climbing the huge cliffs that is Randia's muscles.

  "Good luck that you meet me then! I'm nothing but sweet!"

  Randia created a thin ice from his finger and touches Viena's neck to py around with her. She giggles and ughs, and Randia didn't stop until she bites his hand.

  "So, how do you two met each other?"

  "During a masquerade ball hosted by Marquis Amsterdam."

  "Masquerade ball?"

  "It's a party where the people attending is required to mask to disguise their identity."

  "Oh! So, that's what your elephant mask was for!"

  "Well, actually . . . Pfft."

  Randia couldn't help but ugh a little, and Viena is so happy to see it happening again after a while.

  "Hehe! You ughed!"

  "That's because you are being so silly."

  "But I was right, right?!"

  Before answering Viena's question, Randia had to take a big breath.

  "Technically, the elephant mask is a mask, yes, but . . . It's uh . . . It's a prestigious party with all kinds of important figures attending. Embarrassing yourself is the st thing you want to do in such an occasion. That's why we have to go with something more vogue, something more elegant and exclusive. Also, you shouldn't wear mask that covers your entire face."

  "Huh? So, what's the point of hiding your identity if you're not going all out for it?"

  "Hobby of the upper-css people tends to make no sense, Viena. Regardless, for better or worse, due to the power they hold - people show their respect by pying along with their whimsical acts. In this masquerade ball, they love to py 'guess the guest'."

  "Guess the guest . . . Okay, I think I understand. So, what was your mask?"

  "A bear mask."

  "What about hers?"

  "A peacock."

  "Peacock? What's a peacock?"

  "A beautiful and colorful bird. Go and find out tomorrow with An, Gwen, or Lisabelle. The library should have a picture book about it."

  Then, Randia turns silent for a while. At this point, he started to use his magic to make Viena sleepy. When he wanted to caress Viena's hair to apply the spell, the little girl suddenly grabs his hand to his surprise.

  "What are you doing, Papa?"

  "Huh?"

  "Is it magic?"

  " . . . ."

  Randia is at loss for words. He has no idea what just happened. How come Viena is able to tell what he is about to do? He turned his eyes to Viena who was pying with his palm lines, and Viena stared back at him.

  "Papa?"

  "How do you know it was magic?"

  "I don't know. I just feel something . . . throbbing?"

  "Vibrating."

  "Vibrating. Was that the right word?"

  "Vibrating is like shivering, but much more controlled and rapid . . . faster, soft," Randia expined.

  "Yeah, I guess that sounds right."

  Then Randia turns silent again. He is thinking hard. Viena becomes more sensitive to magic, even though he hasn't taught her a thing since months ago, back when the first time they meet each other.

  "Since when do you notice these vibrations?"

  "Since I took the evening bath. When Lisabelle puts the hot stone to the faucet, I can feel something swirling inside on it."

  ". . . Did you do something while bathing?"

  "Hmm . . . I soak with your rings. I'd thought it would make them shinier! But well, it didn't work though."

  Randia feels a spark in his head. His question is answered. He remembers that the rings he had were enchanted. His theory is that, when Viena makes contact with it, the flow of mana inside reverberates with her, and makes it easier for her also to notice mana vibration from around her. Since he has been able to wield magic for a long time, such experience is often overlooked by him. Now that he had taken everything into account, it's all connected, and he arrived at two conclusions;

  First, the rings accidentally introduce Viena to magical vibration and awaken her senses. Second, Viena has quite a talent in magic - although he had his suspicion of this already ever since he met her.

  "Do you want to know more about magic?"

  "Huh?! Seriously?! Yes, I want to! Finally! You finally bring this up!"

  "Hold your horses, Viena. I won't promise you anything too much."

  "That's okay! At least it's about magic!"

  Then, Randia lift up Viena and throw her to her bed on the other side of the room. She enjoys it and wants a second one, but Randia won't let her. Using magic, he quickly rolls up Viena in her bnket and spin her twice slowly in the air before putting her on her bed.

  "It's been way more than five minutes. Go to sleep and stop making noises and bothering people. We will start tomorrow morning."

  "Hehehe! One more time please!"

  "No. Go to sleep. Now."

  Randia lie his back and try to rex one more time. Yet, as he expected, Viena came back to his bed only in a matter of second after he closed his eyes. When he was about to throw her back to her bed with magic, Viena suddenly put her arms around Randia's neck and kissed him in the cheek.

  "I love you Papa, good night!" said Viena before running back to her bed.

  That moment, unknowingly, it was him that got caught in her magic.