Callista can't help but sneeze as she and Anastasia were walking on campus. "Did you catch a cold?" Anastasia asked.

  "I don't know. I did take a shower yesterday when I arrived at the dorm, although I got scolded by Madam Margaret," she sniffled.

  "She still scolded you even after what we went through yesterday?" Anastasia shook her head in disbelief.

  "Well, I am glad that nobody did that to me especially after all that happened, but I really made Denovan worry," Anastasia said helplessly.

  They were walking through the campus to meet the boys at the Elysium Hall. Callista hummed.

  "Isn't that normal? You're lucky that you have a boyfriend who worries about you," Callista shrugged.

  "Eh?" Anastasia suddenly stopped walking and stared at her.

  "Eh?" Callista blinked at her.

  "Come on, the way Denovan worries about you, and how you blushed in front of him yesterday," Callista said, trying to make her remember.

  They both stared at each other, standing still and blinking. "The two of you are dating... right?" Callista asked as she studied Anastasia's expression.

  A blush slowly crept across Anastasia’s cheeks, and she quickly shook her head. "What—blushed?! No! What made you think that?!" Anastasia exclaimed, shaking her head.

  "So, you're not dating?" Callista asked, staring at Anastasia's flushed state.

  "No! We're just childhood friends..." Anastasia said, and Callista looked at her in disbelief.

  'Was I the only one thinking they were dating? The way Denovan looks at Anastasia seems like that, though... Maybe he...' her thoughts trailed off before sighing.

  Maybe she was mistaken.

  "Princess! Young Miss!" They simultaneously turned toward the voice.

  They looked at Lance as he approached them while catching his breath.

  "Stop calling me Young Miss already. I told you I'm just a commoner," Callista said with furrowed brows.

  "I called you that out of habit," he grinned when he finally caught his breath.

  "What are you doing here at the academy, Captain Lance?" Anastasia asked curiously.

  "I haven't forgotten my promise from before we parted," he said as the two girls exchanged a look.

  "You're right. It's something about the myth of the Protectors, right?" Anastasia asked, making him nod.

  "I don't really think you can call it a myth, though," he said.

  "What do you mean?" Callista asked, tilting her head.

  "Protectors do exist, and some even live with humans, although they disappeared a few years ago," he explained, while the two girls were shocked that he knew about this information.

  "Do you have any proof?" Anastasia asked, as Lance's grin grew bigger.

  "Of course! The proof is standing right here in front of you!" he said, proudly.

  Anastasia: "..."

  Callista: "..."

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  They stared blankly at Lance, who was proud of revealing his true identity.

  "Are you stupid?" Callista couldn't help but say, causing Lance's eyes to widen.

  "I'm not!" he retorted.

  "We don't believe your nonsense, Captain," Anastasia added.

  "But it's true!" Lance argued and pointed at himself.

  "I was the only disciple taken by the Protector who fought beside the Emperor." The two girls were stunned by his words as they looked at each other.

  At this point, they had no choice but to believe him, considering only a few people knew about what happened.

  "If that's true, why did you easily reveal your identity like that?" Callista asked, suspicious.

  "Why not?" Lance asked back.

  "I'm sure the Emperor already told the Princess about this, but I don't know about you, Young Miss." Callista glared at him.

  "Yet, you didn't even hesitate to utter those words," she huffed, as if he was a complete moron.

  "Then, do you know why they disappeared?" Anastasia asked curiously.

  "I wouldn't know," Lance shook his head.

  "And you call yourself a protector?" Callista clicked her tongue.

  "I mean, I wouldn't know because only half of my blood is that of a protector's. I was an orphan, so I didn’t know anyone who would guide me about half of the world I belonged to. I was lucky enough to get the attention of someone who liked me and even taught me everything I needed to know," he said with a smile, as if reminiscing about something.

  "What was your master like?" Anastasia asked, curiously.

  "He was cold, indifferent, and most of all, rude. He wouldn't think twice about saying or expressing his thoughts, but he had the softest heart. In my eyes, he was the kindest person, and I also think the Emperor thinks that too," Lance said.

  "He was so strong that it was scary to even imagine him holding such strong powers. He had to leave the Kingdom one day and had to leave me behind. I was only a half-blooded protector, so people wouldn't hunt me down or suspect me as one. I was only six years old back then, so my memories are a little blurry," he said with a faint smile.

  "Thank you for telling us this. It must have been hard for you to reveal this," Anastasia said, noticing his expression.

  "Of course, I trust the future leader and the Young Miss," he said, glancing at Callista, who glared at him.

  "I told you to stop calling me Young Miss," she complained, making Lance chuckle.

  "Is that the only reason why you’re here at the academy, Captain?" Anastasia asked.

  "It wasn’t really my intention to come here, but the Emperor personally ordered us to investigate the Academy and strengthen the security," he replied.

  "It seems like the cases of dark magic and attacks have been increasing lately, and the Imperial Palace is no exception," he added when Anastasia suddenly remembered something and turned to Callista.

  "I remember you were telling me something before we got kidnapped. You were also talking about my mother and dark magic," she said.

  "Oh, that..." she said as the two looked at her.

  "The late Empress?" Lance asked.

  Callista hesitated as she thought it through before sighing.

  "Remember when I told you I was sensitive to both holy and dark magic?" Callista started, and they both nodded.

  "You also said that there was a disgusting smell at the Imperial Garden," Anastasia added, which stunned Lance.

  "What? But the Imperial Garden is known for its fragrant flowers," he commented, his eyebrows furrowed.

  "So, you were sensing dark magic at that time?" Anastasia asked, putting the pieces together as Callista nodded.

  "I was also confused as to why I would feel sick inside the Imperial Palace and thought my senses were displaced because of the teleportation magic. But then I sensed it again at the Emperor's brooch," she explained.

  "But that was from my mother..." Anastasia muttered.

  "Maybe you sensed holy magic?" she asked, as Lance nodded in agreement.

  "That's right. The late Empress was a descendant of the church," he remembered, but Callista shook her head.

  "I was sure it was dark magic. It was not noticeable, which is why the Emperor or Ivan couldn’t sense it, but as I stared at it carefully, I saw a dark fog surrounding it, and that's when I suspected the late Empress was somehow involved," she said, as the two looked at each other with uneasy gazes.

  "Remember when I asked you about the cause of your mother's death?" she asked, making Anastasia slowly nod.

  "Yes, she died in childbirth," she said.

  "When you told me the Empress's Palace was near the Imperial Garden and adding that the late Empress's brooch was coated in dark magic, I came to the conclusion that she died from dark magic," she explained, as Anastasia's eyes widened.

  "That's impossible! Are you saying she was involved in activities or the use of dark magic?" she exclaimed.

  "But... it does make sense," they turned their attention to Lance, whose expression was serious, far from the easy-going face he had earlier.

  "We are not saying the late Empress used dark magic, Princess. The Young Miss is saying that the Empress might have been cursed, which eventually led to her death," he explained.

  "Dark magic is known for its ability to suck the life out of others or, even worse, ruin their magic cores," Callista added, staring at Anastasia’s expression of disbelief.

  Anastasia took deep breaths as if calming herself before turning to Lance. "I should report this to Father," she said.

  "I know," he nodded before a smile made its way to his lips.

  "But you shouldn't worry. We'll solve this problem sooner or later," he smiled at the two. Lance didn't stay long, as he was meant to be patrolling the Academy. After exchanging words of comfort (mostly him and Anastasia), the two girls waved him goodbye.