Valencia hurried home, panting as she slammed the door behind her. She glanced at her shoulder, listening to the outside world.

  Did anyone see her? Was someone following her?

  She shook her head.

  “No… no one will know. You said it, too, Mother… as long as I hide and contain it, nothing will happen. Breathe,” Valencia mumbled, placing her hand on her chest. She breathed, steadying herself.

  Inhale. Exhale. Inhale—

  BAM. BAM. BAM.

  “Is anyone home?” a voice shouted.

  Valencia’s eyes widened.

  From behind the door, the knight, who knocked, stepped back.

  “Man, why do we have to come out here to check on these residents anyway? They decided to live out here!” another knight complained.

  “Heh… I don’t know…” the first knight replied.

  Valencia tossed her current cape aside and grabbed the black one, putting it on. She opened the door slightly and peeked.

  “Hello?” she whispered.

  The two knights jolted and laughed nervously. The second knight scratched his neck.

  “Hello. We are just following protocol to check on residents who live outside the kingdom for their own safety. Since there was a monster that appeared nearby, we want to make sure you are safe—”

  “There was a monster?” Valencia pretended to ask, changing her tone.

  “Ah, yes… there was a big one that was subdued instantly,” the first knight chimed in, blushing.

  “By the way… have I seen you before?” the second knight asked, staring at Valencia carefully.

  She gasped, covering her head.

  “Wh-what do you mean?” Valencia questioned, her heart racing. There’s no way anyone could see me… especially when all I do is hide. She clenched her fists behind her back, nails biting into her palms. Trembling. Inhaling.

  Without the knights noticing, the table behind her shuddered, as if the room itself had flinched. A soundless ripple of purple void flickered and vanished. Pressure cinched around her chest, stealing her breath.

  The knights studied her, frowning.

  “Ah! I remembered!” the knight shouted, jolting Valencia out of her anxiety. “Didn’t you just graduate from the Academy today?!”

  Valencia opened her palms as everything behind her went still, sighing in relief. Just as soon as the purple void disappeared—

  CRASH.

  They all jumped, looking behind Valencia. She smiled awkwardly.

  “I guess I misplaced that cup and it fell… silly me,” Valencia joked. The knights laughed with her, stepping away. “Oh, and you’re right. I graduated today!”

  They continued laughing until Valencia awkwardly bowed.

  “Oh, you must be busy… heading to the Office of Affairs tomorrow. Isn’t that right?” the first knight asked.

  Valencia nodded.

  “Yes, yes…”

  “What rank did they say you graduated from?”

  “F,” Valencia said flatly.

  Both knights froze, staring at her.

  “F?”

  “Yes…” Valencia smiled warmly. “It’s better than no rank…”

  “Oh… you’re right!” the second knight said, scratching his head in confusion. This person flatly told us that she’s F-rank?! Does she not care about her reputation? My condolences to whoever is her recruiter.

  “Well, time to check on other residents,” the first knight declared, shoving the other knight.

  “Be careful!” they said together.

  Valencia nodded and bowed.

  Once they disappeared, she slammed the door shut. She rushed around the home, gathering important personal items like her clothes. Then she looked outside.

  “I must find a different place to reside. Who knows who will follow me?” she muttered. Then she gasped, checking her bag. Her Academy bag. She flipped inside her bag. “Where is my mother’s journal?”

  Then she tossed her bag upside down to shake everything from inside.

  Nothing.

  She fell to her bottom, breathless.

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  “My mother’s journal… it’s not here. How? Why—?”

  She remembered Kael grabbing her wrist. Her mother’s journal had fallen between them.

  Valencia groaned, slapping her face.

  “Fuck! How do I get it back without getting noticed?” She shoved everything back inside her bag and looked at the door, biting her lower lip. “I have to flee first. Somebody… will definitely try to search for me here.”

  She gathered her things and fled before anyone could return.

  Anyone… like the Young Lord Kael of Izekiah Dukedom.

  Kael groaned as he stretched his arm. He opened his eyes and looked around.

  “Huh… I’m back—”

  “Lord Kael!” William shouted, running to Kael’s side.

  Kael sat up and glanced at him.

  “What happened?” he asked, taking a deep breath. He looked at William. “And… who are you?”

  William took a step back frantically.

  “Did you hit your head hard?” William gasped, placing his hand over his lips. “What a miracle… I can lie and be free from you.”

  Kael tilted his head, squinting.

  “Oh, really? Sir William, Viscount’s son from the House of Gretin.”

  William frowned, glaring at Kael and restraining his fist from punching a duke’s son.

  “Lord… please refrain from joking the moment you wake up—”

  “Says the one that tries to lie to a duke’s son,” Kael retaliated.

  William rolled his eyes as he stepped forward.

  “By the way, why did you do that?!” William angrily asked. “If Madam finds out that you ran out there when you cannot even find a Guide, I will get killed!”

  Kael blew a raspberry and lay his head back.

  “You’re fine—”

  “He what?!” a woman’s voice pierced through the room.

  Kael and William gasped, froze, and darted their gazes to the door. Kael chuckled nervously.

  “Mother?”

  “You still couldn’t match a Guide, and you dared to use your aura?!” Kael’s mother, Nuredus, asked.

  Kael forced a smile on his face and turned to William with the same forced smile.

  “I’m injured… you explain to her—”

  “Lord! I wasn’t even there!”

  “Kael!”

  “Mother, I’m injured. You should not harm an injured patient… I’m tired. I will rest!” Kael prayed before he rested his head. Nuredus stomped to him, pulling his ear. “Ah, Mother!”

  “Why do you not care about your life? Your heart will explode if you cannot find a Guide as soon as possible!”

  “Ah, ah! Mother, I know!” Kael responded, slapping her hand away from his ear.

  “You don’t need to act as a hero—”

  “I was the only one there… there could have been more damage—”

  “I don’t care about the kingdom! My son’s life is more important. The Imperial knights would have arrived if you had waited!”

  Nurdeus released his ears. Kael placed his hands between his thighs.

  “I’m sorry, Mother…” he said obediently. He lowered his head. Nuredus pinched her nose. “But… something happened…”

  Nuredus and William paused. They stared at Kael. He thought, remembering faintly what happened after the explosion.

  “What?” William asked.

  “Someone was there… I grabbed the hand…” his eyes blinked repeatedly. “And my heart calmed down after that small touch.”

  Nuredus gasped, holding Kael’s hand gently.

  “Really? A Guide? A possible match? After eight years?” Nuredus wondered, crying happily.

  Kael furrowed his brows.

  “It felt as if… my aura was getting sucked away, relieving my overwhelming aura…” Kael added, looking at his hand. The hand he used to grab the wrist. Who are you? What does this mean to me?

  Nuredus leaned back with confusion.

  “Sucked away? That’s not supposed to happen—”

  “Did you see anyone nearby when you found me?” Kael asked William.

  William shook his head.

  “It was just you…” he pondered. “Oh, I also found this near you!”

  William reached for a journal on the nightstand and handed it to Kael. Kael stared at it, reading.

  “Persai?” he muttered.

  Nuredus flinched as her brows furrowed. She grabbed the book.

  “Persai? As in Persai Elyane?!”

  Kael glanced at Nuredus with confusion.

  “I think so… why? Do you know her, Mother?” Kael asked curiously.

  Nuredus stared at the book, opening the first page. She swallowed a lump of surprise.

  “This… is the S-rank Guide Persia’s journal? Something only Dame Lupis had kept hidden.”

  “Why would Dame Lupis do that?” William chimed in.

  “Because… no one knows where she had gone… after her Esper half died, she disappeared without letting anyone know…” Nuredus was saddened. “No one knows if she even has siblings or children.”

  Kael nodded awkwardly.

  “And… what about her?”

  Nuredus glared at Kael, smacking his head. Kael’s jaw dropped, staring at her.

  “She was one of the most wanted guides during our time… without her, we wouldn’t have guided the aspiring Espers the way we do now.”

  “Okay… but why is she important?” Kael shrugged.

  Nuredus slapped her forehead.

  “Did you not learn at the Academy? She was the guide for the Void Esper… the one that managed to subdue the Demon King,” Nuredus explained.

  William chuckled nervously.

  “Of course, he had. He just forgot… right, Lord Kael?” William said, patting Kael’s shoulder.

  Kael nudged his hand away and lay down.

  “It’s not like that’ll help me in any way…” Kael stated. “William, go find clues on the person who was supposed to hold this book…”

  “Uh…” William paused and looked at Nuredus. She nodded at him. “Yes, Lord Kael.”

  Then he left the room. Nuredus watched Kael sleep.

  “You cannot take that book with you! So leave it,” Kael demanded.

  Nuredus pouted and placed the book down.

  “Fine… but if that girl is related to Persai, you are to marry her immediately so that no one else dares to covet her!”

  “Who said it was a girl?!” Kael asked.

  “Well, you’re not into men… are you?” Nuredus questioned, squinting.

  Kael opened his eyes and locked eyes with her.

  “Maybe,” he smirked.

  Nuredus threw a blanket at his face.

  “Bring her to visit us when you find her!” Nuredus declared, running out of the room.

  Kael scoffed, chuckling as he stared at the ceiling. He reminisced about the hair color, not realizing it was Valencia's.

  “Who are you…? And… why did a slight touch of you make me feel light for the first time?”

  Meanwhile—

  Valencia glanced behind her as she covered her bag, running into the alley of the slums. She swiftly entered a room, closing it behind her. Her heart raced as she panted.

  “I must stay away from the Royal Palace… if this is the furthest, then it should be safe.”

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