- A few days later - Mist Kingdom Year 4014

Lyn landed on the gra.s.s safely and let out a relieved sigh .

She somehow slipped out . Escaping Rhys isn"t easy, at least with Pupillam she"s been by her side long enough to find the weak spots in the girls guarding . Since she"s always busy, there"s a certain time in the day Pupillam would take a nap . Although Pupillam is a workaholic, she of all people understands that breaks are important and that working non-stop won"t get you anywhere .

Rhys, though, is simply a bully . There was no chance of her being able to leave unless he somehow got called out, and even then he surrounded the door with a barrier which only left the window . It was risky due to the distance from the window to the ground, but it"s not like she had much of a choice . Now that she"s out, she should investigate what she saw recently . For sure that"s who she thought it was, but why would that man be here now? Unlike the previous ball, this place detests his kind, how come he was here . She has to find out why .

But still, Lyn glanced up at the castle walls; she has to return before nightfall; otherwise, the others would get worried . They"d go crazy and send out a search party for her . There"s another ball tonight too; she can"t stay out for long .

"So you"re sneaking out to go where?" someone murmurs in her ear .

"Eep," Lyn exclaimed at the close contact almost falling on the ground until that person reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards them . . . This person is strong; she won"t be able to get out of this .

Before she could panic more, a soothing and familiar voice said, "Relax; it"s just me, Princess Lyn . "

At that, the comment Lyn turned around and spotted a man with ginger hair . It was one of her eldest brothers knights — a man named Kyou .

"Kyou!"

"Yo . So you"re sneaking out because Rhys didn"t force field the window? Or rather, the fact that you didn"t die from that fall is amazing enough . "

"Idiot . I used the rope you gave me . "

"Yeah? It seems like it came in handy then . My present to the princess . "

"When your master isn"t around, you revert to your usually jerky personality," Lyn murmured . "Anyway, what brings you here?"

"For the same reason as you . I saw him too and was curious," Kyou trailed off and extended his hand out, "The guards will patrol the area now . But there"s an underground pa.s.sage we can use," he paused and suddenly leaned forward and brushed their foreheads with each other"s, "You don"t have a fever, do you?"

"It went down . . . But more importantly, you have no tac . "

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"Nothing," Lyn gratefully accepted his hand and allowed him to lead her along .

. . .

They looked around all day and yet they couldn"t find him at all . Well, she suspected as much, it won"t be easy finding that guy and even when they find him . It"s not like he will talk with them . In the end, she ends up leaning against the other side of a broken pillar . A destroyed due to all the infighting . She wondered what kind of place had been here before, "Don"t make that face, we will get another chance . You free tomorrow?" Kyou asked .

"Aha, so the other chance is right around the corner, huh?" she laughed .

"Hm? Got a problem with it?"

"You know I don"t . "

But it has been a long time since the two of them have been like this .

"So? Has it changed," Kyou asked .

Despite him not mentioning any details, Lyn understood what he meant even without it .

"In this world, we live in . There is no room for weak feelings . Grown-ups won"t care about our own opinions . They only care about the money or the business behind it . Only caring about what they will get out of it, they will dismiss other peoples emotions . We have to stay strong to fit in with the rest of society," Lyn said, "However even if this world is harsh and cruel . I still love this world we live in today . At a young age, I understood what I had to do . To make people happy and to get people to accept me . I had to keep on smiling and staying strong for everyone else"s sakes . Even those with perfect lives like Mother and Father have hidden loneliness . Deep down, I could tell they were both lonely . I could tell straight away that there was an unbelievable amount of loneliness . "

"And yet you did nothing . That"s selfish of you," Kyou commented .

Lyn laughed . "Perhaps so,"

"But that"s just like you as well . The reason why I"m working so close sly with the elites," Kyou said in a harsh tone . "I need your help . "

Lyn blinked? Her help?

"Before that, how much do you remember from what I told you when we were younger?" Kyou questioned . She remembered everything . Of course, how could she forget?

She closed her eyes and opened them again . "You told me that the world is nothing but a tiny community . "

"That"s right . To me, this world is nothing but a tiny community since the world became like this and we all got our powers nothing has been the same since . Every day people are suffering out there because of these cursed powers . Do you know? Only a few places in the Empire accept those born with powers . In most other places you"ll be shunned by the other villagers or called a monster," Kyou said .

"I know . I was fortunate enough that it didn"t happen to me, but what about you?"

"I was fortunate because I had Prince Andrew to help me out," Kyou trailed off, "Not me . But most of my friends . To be exact, Araji Tanya is one . "

Araji Tanya, huh? She heard the woman"s name from her sister, Lethia bad mouthed her a great deal . Lyn briefly caught a glimpse of the girl before when she dropped by . "She"s blind?"

"Yeah . She was born that way . Before she really couldn"t see anything, and yet when she gained her powers, her visual field increased . Though she"s still blind, she can see people with her eyes closed . She can still see them," Kyou explained, "It"s confusing though . Some people think she is tricking them and is only pretending to be blind . "

"Aura eyes?"

"You know of it?"

Lyn nodded, "Ah-huh," Kyou nodded, and Lyn let"s out a relieved sigh, she"s glad that he pried no further .

Silence descended upon them for a few minutes, and Lyn observed her surroundings again . This place is empty; there"s nothing here at all . Just ruins, so there are places like this in the Mist Kingdom, huh?

"I"ve heard interesting rumors lately, but what I want to know is, do you still love Allen?"- A few days later - Mist Kingdom Year 4014 Lyn landed on the gra.s.s safely and let out a relieved sigh . She somehow slipped out . Escaping Rhys isnt easy, at least with Pupillam shes been by her side long enough to find the weak spots in the girls guarding . Since shes always busy, theres a certain time in the day Pupillam would take a nap . Although Pupillam is a workaholic, she of all people understands that breaks are important and that working non-stop wont get you anywhere . Rhys, though, is simply a bully . There was no chance of her being able to leave unless he somehow got called out, and even then he surrounded the door with a barrier which only left the window . It was risky due to the distance from the window to the ground, but its not like she had much of a choice . Now that shes out, she should investigate what she saw recently . For sure thats who she thought it was, but why would that man be here now? Unlike the previous ball, this place detests his kind, how come he was here . She has to find out why . But still, Lyn glanced up at the castle walls; she has to return before nightfall; otherwise, the others would get worried . Theyd go crazy and send out a search party for her . Theres another ball tonight too; she cant stay out for long . So youre sneaking out to go where? someone murmurs in her ear . Eep, Lyn exclaimed at the close contact almost falling on the ground until that person reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards them . This person is strong; she wont be able to get out of this . Before she could panic more, a soothing and familiar voice said, Relax; its just me, Princess Lyn . At that, the comment Lyn turned around and spotted a man with ginger hair . It was one of her eldest brothers knights — a man named Kyou . Kyou! Yo . So youre sneaking out because Rhys didnt force field the window? Or rather, the fact that you didnt die from that fall is amazing enough . Idiot . I used the rope you gave me . Yeah? It seems like it came in handy then . My present to the princess . When your master isnt around, you revert to your usually jerky personality, Lyn murmured . Anyway, what brings you here? For the same reason as you . I saw him too and was curious, Kyou trailed off and extended his hand out, The guards will patrol the area now . But theres an underground pa.s.sage we can use, he paused and suddenly leaned forward and brushed their foreheads with each others, You dont have a fever, do you? It went down . But more importantly, you have no tac . Hm? Did you say something? Nothing, Lyn gratefully accepted his hand and allowed him to lead her along They looked around all day and yet they couldnt find him at all . Well, she suspected as much, it wont be easy finding that guy and even when they find him . Its not like he will talk with them . In the end, she ends up leaning against the other side of a broken pillar . A destroyed due to all the infighting . She wondered what kind of place had been here before, Dont make that face, we will get another chance . You free tomorrow? Kyou asked Aha, so the other chance is right around the corner, huh? she laughed . Hm? Got a problem with it? You know I dont . But it has been a long time since the two of them have been like this . So? Has it changed, Kyou asked . Despite him not mentioning any details, Lyn understood what he meant even without it . In this world, we live in . There is no room for weak feelings . Grown-ups wont care about our own opinions . They only care about the money or the business behind it . Only caring about what they will get out of it, they will dismiss other peoples emotions . We have to stay strong to fit in with the rest of society, Lyn said, However even if this world is harsh and cruel . I still love this world we live in today . At a young age, I understood what I had to do . To make people happy and to get people to accept me . I had to keep on smiling and staying strong for everyone elses sakes . Even those with perfect lives like Mother and Father have hidden loneliness . Deep down, I could tell they were both lonely . I could tell straight away that there was an unbelievable amount of loneliness . And yet you did nothing . Thats selfish of you, Kyou commented . Lyn laughed . Perhaps so, But thats just like you as well . The reason why Im working so close sly with the elites, Kyou said in a harsh tone . I need your help . Lyn blinked? Her help? Before that, how much do you remember from what I told you when we were younger? Kyou questioned . She remembered everything . Of course, how could she forget? She closed her eyes and opened them again . You told me that the world is nothing but a tiny community . Thats right . To me, this world is nothing but a tiny community since the world became like this and we all got our powers nothing has been the same since . Every day people are suffering out there because of these cursed powers . Do you know? Only a few places in the Empire accept those born with powers . In most other places youll be shunned by the other villagers or called a monster, Kyou said . I know . I was fortunate enough that it didnt happen to me, but what about you? I was fortunate because I had Prince Andrew to help me out, Kyou trailed off, Not me . But most of my friends . To be exact, Araji Tanya is one . Araji Tanya, huh? She heard the womans name from her sister, Lethia bad mouthed her a great deal . Lyn briefly caught a glimpse of the girl before when she dropped by . Shes blind? Yeah . She was born that way . Before she really couldnt see anything, and yet when she gained her powers, her visual field increased . Though shes still blind, she can see people with her eyes closed . She can still see them, Kyou explained, Its confusing though . Some people think she is tricking them and is only pretending to be blind . Aura eyes? You know of it? Lyn nodded, Ah-huh, Kyou nodded, and Lyn lets out a relieved sigh, shes glad that he pried no further . Silence descended upon them for a few minutes, and Lyn observed her surroundings again . This place is empty; theres nothing here at all . Just ruins, so there are places like this in the Mist Kingdom, huh? Ive heard interesting rumors lately, but what I want to know is, do you still love Allen?