Darkness covered the vision of the human king, he floated inside the darkness for some time, after an unknown amount of time, a small point of light appeared, that light began to grow larger and drove away the darkness that was there before.

The white light dazzled the human king’s vision, he closed his eyes, slowly his back that previously could not feel anything, now began to feel something soft.

The human king let out a breath, he slowly opened his eyes, the darkness and white light had now disappeared, what was visible in his sight was only the ceiling of a room that was bright because of the hanging classic lamp.

The human king stretched his body while he was still lying on the bed, after remaining silent for some time to process himself returning from the dream realm he then began to rise.

He sat on top of the bed, the moonlight slowly began to enter the room trying to share space with the lamp light.

The human king brushed his dark red hair with his right hand, he removed his red robe which made the robe fall onto the bed.

He opened his mouth, his voice sounded hoarse, he called someone unseen inside the room that only had himself.

"Black...call alex and katarina here."

Black’s voice was heard answering the king’s order even though he was not visible in the room.

After a short pause of time, the door in the room opened.

The king shifted his gaze, the first to enter was katarina, she wore a white shirt and black long pants, after that alex followed entering, he wore a black shirt.

The two of them then stood in front of the king who was still sitting on the bed.

Katarina smiled faintly seeing her father who had returned, she spoke first.

"What is it father? Did the meeting go smoothly?..."

The king rubbed the back of his neck, he yawned once which made alex and katarina wait for his answer. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"The meeting went smoothly...yes although there were several obstacles..."

One of katarina’s eyebrows rose, she opened her mouth, her voice slightly lower.

"Obstacles? What obstacles?..."

The king looked at katarina, his blue eyes had now become fresh again even though his body still felt sore. His eyes narrowed.

"Hey...that is a secret...you are not allowed to know."

Alex who heard katarina’s blunt question also glanced at her, he did not expect katarina would ask directly to her father, but something else made him more shocked, he might be cursing katarina inside his heart.

Katarina held her father’s hand with both of her hands, she rubbed his hand, her expression changed into something cute, she looked like an innocent girl.

"Hey father! Tell me a little, I just want to know...tell me okay?"

The king’s expression looked flat, but he covered his face with his other hand, a wide smile carved onto his face.

"You must not be like this rina! Where did you learn to become cute like this! You are like when you were little when asking for something..."

Katarina chuckled, she kept persuading her father.

Meanwhile alex shifted his gaze away, he scratched the back of his head, he only stood silently without moving.

’Damn...what am I doing here?’

In the end the king still was not tempted by katarina who suddenly became cute, that made katarina’s expression change back into a flat and cold one, she crossed both of her arms, she also did not look at her father.

The king coughed awkwardly, he let out a breath then looked at alex and katarina.

"Alex...." The king stroked his chin, he looked at alex who stood straight, he then continued again.

"we have already decided what you will do..."

Alex swallowed his saliva, his ears twitched while krystal also heard what alex heard.

The king nodded once, he crossed his arms. "You still cannot control your holy energy, you also still do not know the uniqueness that it possesses..."

Alex nodded hearing the human king’s words, while the king continued "...but you still possess holy energy, and that means a lot. We leaders have already decided, you will be trained by saint azara in the south."

Alex’s black eyes widened, his lips slightly opened, katarina also turned toward alex then looked back at her father.

"The south? Why there? Isn’t that actually closer to the enemy territory?"

The king nodded agreeing with katarina’s words, he looked at katarina.

"That is true...but saint azara will guarantee it, she also insisted on training alex..."

Alex swallowed his saliva, he massaged his forehead, krystal’s voice echoed inside alex’s mind.

’Damn....I already guessed we would meet that tiger again...’

The human king who saw alex immediately spoke again, a sigh was heard as the beginning.

"You will not only be trained to control your holy energy so you can fight demons and their contractors..." alex and katarina looked at the human king.

"You will also be projected to become a living example to teach the next saint..."

Silence covered the room, the human king placed both of his hands on the bed behind his back.

"....saint azara thinks that if you can do it, we can pass the coming saint transition period more easily..."

Alex and katarina looked at each other, then they looked back at the king who brushed his dark red hair.

"Unfortunately you do not have a choice...you must go to the south and learn from saint azara no matter the condition."

Alex fell silent for a moment, he slightly lowered his head.

The king then stood up, he stood in front of katarina, the height difference between them was very visible.

The king then placed his hand on alex’s left shoulder, he looked at alex.

"I know I should not push a teenager toward something dangerous..."

Alex raised his head, he looked at the human king, as did katarina.

The king’s blue eyes did not waver, he spoke again to alex.

"But unfortunately the current situation does not allow that, you will also protect your family no matter what happens right?...."

Alex stayed silent for some time, but then he nodded without speaking.

The king patted alex’s shoulder several times, he smiled faintly. "Your family will remain here, I will protect them directly....so you do not mind right?"

Alex smiled faintly, he let out a breath, his gaze still looked at the king.

"Saint azara is strong right?..."

The human king’s expression changed into surprise, he chuckled hearing alex’s question.

"Of course she is very strong! She is truly strong..."

Alex smiled and nodded "then I will be happy to be taught by her..."

The king nodded, then he shifted his gaze toward katarina, he patted katarina’s right shoulder.

"You will also go there..."

Katarina’s blue eyes widened, she opened her mouth.

"What?!..."

The human king chuckled, he slowly sat back on the bed while looking at katarina.

"Yes...more precisely the first year students from each academy will come there..."

Katarina’s ears twitched, her cold expression had now shattered "what?!..."

Meanwhile alex only scratched his head, he never knew about other academies, he also never met them, he only enjoyed katarina’s reaction.

The human king also chuckled, he began explaining a little part of the results of the leaders’ meeting, he also told alex and katarina about mira’s journey that would soon begin to search for better materials for the demon energy healing potion, katarina was no longer surprised by mira who would travel, while alex was slightly surprised.

Their conversation lasted for some time, at the end of their talk, katarina looked at her father, she still tried to know the direction that had been decided from the leaders’ meeting.

Katarina asked her father, she tried to dig a little information.

"Then what about the bone of malakar?..."

Katarina’s question made the human king let out a breath, he massaged his forehead, he did not know why the only child he had was now very interested in things like that.

The king then looked at katarina, now katarina’s expression became pitiful.

Alex who saw katarina being very persistent could only laugh inside his heart ’she is truly enthusiastic...’

The human king brushed his dark red hair, he raised his hand because he could not stand seeing katarina’s pitiful expression.

Katarina who saw that immediately smiled widely, while the human king spoke.

"Alright...I will tell a little."

The human king looked at alex and katarina, he opened his mouth.

"The bone of malakar will be moved to the dwarf territory..."

Silence covered the room, katarina only stayed silent not responding to her father’s statement, alex also only stayed silent.

The two of them began thinking inside their respective minds.

Katarina finally smiled, she nodded several times.

"Then we want to eat dinner first okay..."

The king became confused seeing katarina’s sudden change, he raised his hand to speak but katarina quickly dragged alex out of the room.

The king tilted his head, his hand was still raised in the air, his expression still showed confusion "what happened? Did I give too much information?....I do not think so."

Meanwhile the echoing sound of footsteps from alex and katarina echoed through the bright palace corridor, the windows were now already closed to block the cold night wind.

Katarina bit her nail while walking, alex who accidentally glanced at her because of the window reflection let out a breath.

Alex smiled faintly while poking katarina’s arm with his index finger "you are quite persistent huh? I did not expect you could become the cute type..." katarina moved her arm to brush away alex’s finger poke, she gritted her teeth.

"Be quiet...I am thinking."

Alex chuckled, then katarina looked at him seriously.

"They definitely moved it to close the gap...." Alex fell silent while katarina continued again, she brushed her long dark red hair "but what will they do about leak? It will become a boomerang if leak successfully takes the bone of malakar."

Alex who saw katarina thinking hard tried to help her, he opened his mouth but someone’s voice stopped him, katarina who also heard the voice turned backward.

There mira approached toward them, her black dress swayed with each of her steps, as did her black outer.

Mira spoke when she was already close to alex and katarina. "Do you two want to eat dinner?..."

Alex and katarina looked at each other first, then they shifted their gazes toward mira. They nodded together.

"Yes...we want to eat dinner."

"Have you eaten already? Want to eat together?..."

Mira tilted her head, she was confused by alex and katarina who became closer day by day.

"Yes...I have not eaten yet."

Alex smiled faintly, he then invited mira to join them which now created three sounds of footsteps echoing in the corridor.

Mira walked slightly behind alex and katarina, she could clearly see their closeness, she also remembered again what she saw when alex returned to his house after meeting the king and queen, all of it was very opposite compared to them while inside the academy environment.

Mira’s golden eyes narrowed, she felt a bitter feeling at the tip of her tongue, she then accidentally spoke.

"You two became close huh?..."

Alex and katarina turned backward together after hearing mira’s question, mira who saw that chuckled.

"Even your movements are synchronized..."

Alex clicked his tongue, he walked backward as did katarina.

"No way..." alex pointed at katarina with his thumb "...this princess is very arrogant, she has not even treated me according to her promise..."

Katarina’s eyebrow twitched, she pinched alex which made his scream echo through the palace corridor.

"I already treated you many times! Why are you saying I did not keep my promise!"

Alex and katarina began arguing with each other, their voices might have reached the end of the corridor.

Mira only watched them, her heart beat quickly, she no longer heard their conversation, alex and katarina who were previously walking backward and looking at mira, now turned their backs toward her again.

Mira’s golden eyes could only see alex and katarina’s argument, she held her heart that was beating fast, she slightly lowered her head which made her look at her own footsteps.

’What is happening to me?....’

Mira’s thoughts kept racing, she felt isolated from the outside world.

After several unconscious steps, mira finally bumped into something which made her realize herself again.

She bumped into alex and katarina’s backs who only stood silently at the end of the corridor where a turn could be seen, they only stood frozen while looking toward the right.

Mira rubbed her forehead while she wanted to ask katarina and alex who had become frozen, but a girl’s shout made her eyebrow twitch.

Mira finally tried to see what made alex and katarina freeze.

Her golden eyes widened, she unconsciously also opened her mouth, now the three of them froze together seeing two people who were walking in the corridor.

The shouting voice of the walking girl echoed through the corridor, together with it the voice of a teenage boy was also heard, they were reva and ken who walked together.

Alex swallowed his saliva, he spoke first when seeing ken and reva walking side by side even though they were arguing.

"What are those two doing? They are arguing but still walking together..."

Katarina shook her head "I think it is more like ken keeps following and making reva angry..."

Mira also nodded after hearing reva’s shouts telling ken to stay away "does ken like reva?"

Silence immediately happened when mira asked, alex and katarina immediately looked at mira together which made mira confused.

The sound of laughter then broke out from alex and katarina, they laughed at mira’s ridiculous question, especially alex who felt that thing was impossible, but a memory that suddenly crossed his mind began stopping him.

His black eyes widened, his expression became confused, he remembered again the moment in the hospital where ken helped reva peel an apple.

He unconsciously spoke "impossible...."

Katarina who heard alex speaking then stopped laughing, mira also looked at alex.

Mira massaged her forehead "what is impossible?..."

Alex looked at mira with a flat expression, he pointed toward where reva and ken previously walked.

"You two might not notice it, but at the hospital, ken helped that short fuse peel an apple...he also sat close to that short fuse which made that short fuse uncomfortable."

Silence covered the three of them, they only looked at each other, after mira and katarina heard alex’s words, the three of them had the same thought.

That same thought made them immediately run across the palace corridor, they did not speak to each other but they knew their goal.

The three of them began tailing ken and reva who walked together even though they had already disappeared somewhere.

The three of them ran along the corridor, several servants looked at them because they were running at night, but the three of them did not care about it.

Until finally they passed through a corridor that became the connector between two palace buildings.

Alex glanced toward the lower left, he stopped for a moment which made katarina and mira also stop.

The three of them saw ken and reva walking below toward the garden, although it looked more like ken continuously following reva.

Alex smiled widely, his chest rose and fell while panting after running through the palace corridor, he then rested his arm on the railing in the corridor.

"I told you....there is definitely something between them...or ken might like reva!"

Katarina let out a breath calming herself after running around, she stood at alex’s left side, her left hand gripped the corridor railing, her blue eyes narrowed.

"I think so too...but why does he keep following reva."

Alex took a deep breath and exhaled it, he brushed his black hair and looked at katarina beside his left side, one of his eyebrows rose.

"Why? Are you jealous because you lost one of your admirers?"

Katarina glanced at alex with a cold and disbelieving look.

"You think I am still childish?"

Alex shrugged, he wanted to speak but mira who was on his right side spoke first, mira was also panting after running through the palace corridor.

"Want to bet?"

Alex and katarina simultaneously turned toward the right where mira stood.

Mira pointed toward ken and reva below who were getting farther away. "I think ken will get rejected..."

Alex and katarina only froze for a moment, alex then touched mira’s forehead which made her feel warmth.

Mira’s golden eyes widened, she was shocked when alex’s hand touched her forehead, her heart beat quickly, she immediately brushed away alex’s hand and shouted.

"What are you doing?!..."

Alex only shrugged "I was just shocked, but it seems you have returned to your original self...mira the gambler"

Katarina who saw mira and alex’s interaction only chuckled, now she was more interested in watching the two of them.

Mira gritted her teeth, she held the forehead that alex had just touched, her eyes that were previously lifeless were now filled with spirit.

"You! Right now I am mira the little hope!"

Alex nodded understandingly he remembered what the human king told regarding the title that mira obtained, he smiled mockingly. "Yes yes mira the gambler..."

Mira tried calming herself, she then looked at alex seriously.

"Do you want to bet?"

Alex stroked his chin, his black eyes narrowed "what is the bet?"

Mira spoke expressionlessly, she only looked at alex under the dark night and the sound of crickets "the loser treats the winner to eat outside ten times..."

One of alex’s eyebrows rose, he looked at mira suspiciously "isn’t ten times too much?..."

Mira clicked her tongue, she clenched her black dress "the loser can choose the place..."

Alex nodded several times because he felt he could do it.

The two of them spoke in the corridor connecting the two palace buildings, katarina only watched them while resting her cheek on her palm.

Suddenly a thought crossed katarina’s head, she smiled faintly and raised her hand, her voice made alex and mira turn toward her.

"I also want to join the bet..."

Alex who was now looking at katarina wanted to nod but mira spoke first, she cut ahead of alex.

"No, I only want to bet with alex."

Silence happened after mira said something they thought was impossible.

Katarina’s blue eyes widened, she unconsciously covered her mouth ’wow so it is true....does she really like alex?’

A smile carved onto katarina’s face behind her hand covering her mouth, meanwhile alex kept persuading mira so katarina could also join the bet, he only wanted to eat food at expensive places.

After some time, katarina suggested they eat dinner and talk about it there, finally they walked back inside the palace building.

Alex let out a breath, he looked at mira "are you ready for your journey? Do you already know where to go?"

Mira let out a breath, she massaged her forehead "how would I know? I was only told this afternoon..."

Katarina who heard that finally spoke, she tried suggesting something to mira.

"Try going to the elf territory first..."

One of mira’s eyebrows rose, she looked at katarina. "Why there?...."

Katarina shrugged, her expression showed she did not know anything.

"That place is the most stable territory....so I suggest going there."

Slowly their traces disappeared from the corridor connecting the two palace buildings, their backs could no longer be seen.