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The academy buzzed with activity despite the lack of formal classes. It was the first day and students were free to explore and settle in. Some wandered the campus in search of clubs, others gathered for tea, a few practiced music, while the quieter ones found solace in the library.

Among them were Katharina and Aster. After returning the fallen books to their shelves, the two girls found a spot at a wooden table. The scent of aged paper and ink filled the air, a quiet comfort amidst the hushed whispers of students engrossed in their reading.

While Katharina settled in and began reading, Aster, having already scanned the pages of her previous book, returned to the shelves to search for topics that might pique her interest. She ran her fingers along the spines until they landed on an old, leather-bound volume. The title, written in elegant gold script, read 

☀︎The Sun’s Radiance: A History of Helios Kingdom☀︎ 

Her heart skipped a beat.

Helios.

Aunt Sally had mentioned they once lived there before moving to Twilightvale in Crescentis. But Aster remembered little about it. Until now, she had never given much thought to why they left, how they traveled, or why Aunt Sally never spoke of it in detail.

Curious, she flipped open the book and began reading.

Helios was described as a land of wealth and beauty, rich in crystals, gold, and diamonds—the kind of treasures nobles coveted. Unlike Crescentis, where wealth and power were openly flaunted, Helios was depicted as warm and welcoming, its people kindhearted. The kingdom thrived on sun magic, which was primarily used for healing and protective barriers rather than combat. Its lands were fertile, its agriculture abundant, and its royal family beloved by the people.

Aster paused, thinking how different it all seemed from Crescentis. There, the magic drew from the moon, sharper and more combative, aggressive even—fit for a kingdom where strength and strategy mattered above all.

The more Aster learned about Helios, the more drawn she became.

Then, she turned the page and stopped.

A detailed map illustrated the distance between Helios and Crescentis.

Aster leaned closer, scanning the text beneath it.

【Travel betwixt these two kingdoms is a privilege reserved for the wealthiest of nobles, or those possessed of extraordinary magical faculties—such as the art of teleportation or the opening of portals. For ordinary travelers, the journey is protracted, requiring some ten days by carriage and vessel, and exacts a considerable expenditure of gold coins.】

Her breath caught.

If travel between the two kingdoms was so difficult, then how had Aunt Sally afforded it?

And more importantly… why had they left such a peaceful and prosperous kingdom?

As she traced the map with her fingers, something flickered in her memory. A warm, sunlit village. The scent of fresh grass. Laughter echoing by a lake.

Sunnybrooke Village.

Aster’s lips parted slightly.

That was in Helios.

She had only one clear memory of that place. A boy with brunette hair. The name Ranley came to mind, but his face remained vague.

Does that mean Lord Ranley is from Helios too? It wasn’t a big deal…after all, he was a noble. He could surely afford to travel in luxury.

Before she could dwell further, something else caught her attention. Some of the pages in the book were missing. Torn out.

Aster frowned, running her fingers over the jagged edges where they had been removed.

What was missing?

“What are you reading?”

She glanced up to see Katharina peering over her shoulder.

“It’s about Helios Kingdom,” Aster replied absently, still staring at the missing pages.

Katharina’s expression shifted to one of mild surprise. “Helios?” she repeated. Then, in a slightly lower voice, “Why are you interested in that? Don’t you know there’s some kind of conflict between Helios and Crescentis?”

Aster’s head snapped up. “Conflict?”

Katharina nodded, setting her own book aside. “Yeah. I heard from my father that there’s talk of a potential war. Something about… irreconcilable differences and things that happened in the past.”

Aster frowned. War?

“But why?” she asked. “Helios is a peaceful kingdom, isn’t it? Their magic is mostly used for defense, not offense. Why would there be a conflict?”

Katharina shrugged. “Well, it’s not Crescentis waging war,” she clarified. “It’s Helios. From what I’ve heard, they’re the ones making the first move. But they used to have a peace treaty. There was even talk that, if the treaty had held, the kingdoms might have eventually united into an empire. They were planning to build a bridge to make travel easier—it would have reduced the journey to just three days, even for merchants and commoners. But I doubt it will happen now. Everything changed ten years ago.”

Ten years ago.

Aster stiffened.

That was when she and Aunt Sally moved to Crescentis.

“It’s something about the missing Duke of Helios,” Katharina continued, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret. “He made a pact in Crescentis and later attacked Helios. Now, Helios believes Crescentis was complicit in his schemes. There’s talk of a power struggle too… Crescentis has always been more combative and ambitious, and many say they resent sharing authority or yielding to any sort of empire. So it isn’t entirely surprising that Helios suspects them, even if Crescentis never officially supported the Duke. It’s just… the way things are between the kingdoms.”

Aster’s stomach twisted.

“The Duke, who is the Helios Queen’s younger brother, was believed to have betrayed them,” Katharina added. “But from what my father told me, Crescentis had nothing to do with it. Helios is just…. being emotional about it. They want someone to blame. But I doubt anything will actually happen. Our kingdom isn’t interested in war.”

She then smirked, leaning back. “Besides, there are more important things happening. The Crown Prince is getting engaged to Lady Vanessa soon. That’s what everyone’s talking about.”

Aster remained quiet, processing everything she had just learned.

She had lived in Crescentis for years, yet there were still so many things she didn’t know.

Helios waging war? The missing Duke? The accusations against Crescentis?

And yet, despite all this, what puzzled her most… was Aunt Sally.

If Helios and Crescentis had such strained relations, then why had they left Helios?

And how had they even managed to travel here in the first place?

‎₊˚✧[Later that afternoon]✧˚₊‧

The academy had given students an early dismissal for the day. Outside the gates, grand carriages lined up, waiting for their noble passengers.

Katharina’s carriage was among them—a sleek, gilded masterpiece drawn by two white horses bearing her family’s crest. Aster was about to bid her farewell, but as Katharina stepped inside, she turned to Aster.

“Want me to drop you off somewhere?”

Aster hesitated, but Katharina grinned. “Come on, you don’t have a carriage, right?”

Grateful, Aster accepted and climbed in.

The interior was just as extravagant as she had imagined, but Katharina lounged comfortably, as if it were nothing. They chatted idly during the ride, exchanging stories about their lives, their likes, and their dislikes.

Aster found herself easing into their conversation.

As they reached Moonveil Plaza, the bustling district center where most public carriages passed through, Aster asked to be dropped off. It was a common transfer point, as routes split from there—one leading toward the noble neighborhoods of Luneth Heights, where Katharina lived, and the other toward the Emporium District, where lower nobles and commoners like her resided near the festive town square.

“See you tomorrow!” Katharina waved as the carriage pulled away.

Aster stood there for a moment, watching it disappear into the bustling streets. Then, with a small smile, she turned and made her way home.

For the first time since arriving at Celentine Academy, she felt a little less alone.

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