The break finished and two weeks later, everything was back to its normal state. Indigo, the town, was still recuperating and everyone was contributing to repair the damaged the town suffered.

Today, however, the town was unusually lively and the academy was unusually active.

A messenger has arrived from Puleun, which is the capital of this continent, Han. Moreover it wasn't just a normal messenger, it was a royal messenger. Thus, everyone was restless.

In the Han continent, a monarchy existed and the person at the top wasn't the king, but the queen.

"Our queen has received news of the attack on Indigo, and our queen immediately prepared to send our troops to assist the civilians. However, we received the good news that the attack has been stopped, by the students and teachers of the Eagle Academy."

The students and teachers, along with the principal hearing this, had an inkling to where this was going. They stared at the messenger who was shining brilliantly in their eyes with bated breath.

"Henceforth, our queen would like to extend a formal invite to Eagle Academy, to receive our queen's blessing of saving the town, Indigo. Please present your representatives of the academy, and we shall depart within a day."

Indigo was an important trading hub in this continent, thus, it was essential to the economy of this country. Moreover, the queen was known for her benevolence and impartiality, thus, everyone knew this was coming.

The messenger departed, and the principal quickly dismissed the students back to their classes, and gathered the teachers of a higher position to discuss the representatives they will send.

The students proceeded to discuss animatedly.

"Who do you think they will send, Cecil?" Hana asked.

Cecil tapped at her chin with her fingers.

According to the novel, it's four representatives. One teacher and three students, and the teacher would definitely be Gom.

However, since it is all changed now, one of the students that will be sent will definitely be Xue. After all, he is the protagonist.

Hana looked at Cecil, seeing her best friend smiling to herself. She tilted her head in confusion, and Cecil just patted her head.

"It all depends on the principal." Cecil responded and she glanced at Xue beside Hana, smiling again.

Since it was their free time, and Hana suggested for them to head to the canteen as she wanted something to snack on, the two of them naturally agreed. Compared to a month ago, where Hana believed they would never go back to normal, this situation now felt familiar.

Hana munched on her sandwich, swinging her legs happily. Though Kai was missing from the table, when Hana looked at Xue, it somehow feels he is still there.

Xue glanced at Hana, seeing that her lips were stained with sauce. He smiled gently and took her handkerchief, wiping her lips. Hana smiled at Xue, and Cecil watched their interaction in glee, resting her chin on her palm.

Xue blinked his eyes up at Cecil, seeing the sleeve sliding down, exposing her fair, slender arm which had a faint scar on it.

"It's still there..." Hana remarked. "Will it really be a scar?"

The herb was extremely effective, it healed her injury completely, and leaving only a faint scar.

"It'll be a miracle if it doesn't leave a scar," Cecil said, expressionless. "Moreover, to be healed to this point, within just two weeks, it's a blessing."

Hana pursed her lips, feeling upset, tracing the scar. "You have such pretty skin, what a pity."

"It isn't on my face, and it's not that obvious. It's alright."

Xue listened to their conversation in silence, his eyes fixated on her scar, his expession complicated.

"Cecil Lan, Xue, Hana Katae. The principal would like to see you, please report to the principal's office at your earliest convenience."

The three of them looked at each other, before standing up and walking to their destination. Every student gazed on in envy, the representatives have been decided.

***

They were back in the carriage within two weeks, the messenger and Gom rode in a different carriage. It was the three of them once again, and this time, the trip would be seven hours. Cecil decided to keep herself entertained by reading a medical book that she requested the healer to loan her.

The healer, once again, handed her the medical book without a word.

Meanwhile, Hana chatted regardless whether Cecil or Xue were listening or not. The two of them knew Hana has always been talkative, and just humming in response would suffice most of the time.

Along the way, they would stop by a town, Lapis, for a short break.

"We will be stopping here for a short break, you can enjoy the sights if you want to," Gom informed them as the three of them stepped down from the carriage. "We will be in the tavern, meet us there in half an hour."

Being stuck in there for four hours, stretching was their first thought when they exited.

"Let's go explore!" Hana beamed, dragging Cecil along. "They might have some nice food and sweets!"

Cecil allowed herself to be dragged alone, smiling. "Hana, is that all you ever think about after you stop by a town?"

"Mhmm!"

Cecil laughed, the heroine was someone she was envious of. Hana could eat whatever she wanted and never get fat, yet for Cecil, this body of hers was trained by the previous occupant to limit her food intake and restrain herself from unhealthy food.

Xue followed behind them, a soft look in his eyes.

Soon enough, Hana stumbled upon a sweets shop that she liked and began scurrying around the stall like a hamster. The owner of the stall, seeing two exceptional beauties and an utterly handsome man, decided to leave them be.

He heard that people with exceptional mein tend to have the worst temper.

Cecil and Xue stood by, watching Hana picking up and tasting the sample of the sweets, giggling to herself.

She's always so pure and so adorable.

Cecil smiled, and her mind started to wander, especially towards the plotline of the novel. Upon thinking of Puleun, along with the queen, Cecil began to frown deeply.

Xue has been observing Cecil more and more, thus, the change in her expression didn't escape his notice.

"You have something to say?" Xue questioned.

Cecil glanced up, shocked at Xue initiating the conversation, easing her frown. "I had another vision."

Xue waited for her to explain, patient.

Cecil tried to work her way around the "no spoiler" rule, rehearsing the words in her mind. "It is a vague one, but I can tell that Puleun is also where another one of "you" resides."

When Cecil finished her words, the two souls within Xue, who have been quiet the whole time, spoke up.

Kai: "Cecil is right, you can feel it too, don't you?"

Alric: "Yes...somehow, one of us is definitely there."

"...they are telling me that as well."

"Kai and Alric?"

Xue nodded and Cecil was surprised at how fast they have cooperated and how Xue's tracking range has increased.

In the novel, Xue ended up in Puleun on instinct as well, but without the cooperation of the two souls. Moreover, it was after the devastation at the academy and Indigo, thus, there wasn't any status that could help Xue.

In the end, he killed the next soul, just like Kai, and ended up becoming an outlaw. Wanted posters of him spread throughout the Han continent, and Xue's journey became more treacherous, including for Hana.

It was even worse since Hana was a trouble magnet.

Wait a minute...this scene here did happen in the novel before, Xue stopped by this town because of Hana, and Hana went into this same shop to--

"I got it, the sweets I want to eat!" Hana chirped and they looked at multiple bags of sweets and snack she held.

Xue widened his eyes and Cecil coughed, even though they had money to spare because of their rich parents...it was still a little too much.

Cecil glanced at the price tag on the sweets, and her lips twitched.

They are overpriced! Just like the author stated! They charged too high since this town was near to Puleun, and they took advantage of the travellers passing by for a break!

If Cecil could, she wanted to save as much money as she possibly could since she was planning ahead. They would definitely reach a point where they would not be able to go back home, and they would be penniless.

Cecil stood there, her fingers tapping on her chin as she formulated a plan to stop Hana from buying. Meanwhile, Hana had already shoved the bags to Xue, smiling innocently.

"Xue!"

"Okay."

Xue walked to the counter, readily passing the man money.

"..."

Cecil was speechless as she turned around.

Hana immediately hopped about, munching at the sweets.

Cecil sighed, shaking her head.

Forget it, the heroine is unstoppable, and the protagonist doesn't care. I'll just think about the money problems when the time comes.

***

"Open the gates!" the guardsman hollered and the metal gates began to rise as he bowed to the messenger in the front carriage. "My lord, welcome back to Puleun."

Cecil closed her book, observing the surroundings with interest, mimicking Hana. Xue closed his eyes, resting peacefully, not bothering with the sights of a capital of a continent.

Hana gasped in awe, "this is soooooo pretty!"

The buildings and its architecture here were different from the towns, they were taller and sturdier, and aesthetically pleasing. Moreover, there was an enormous castle sitting atop of the city, the sun shining down at it, giving it a majestic glow as the tip of the castle almost touched the clouds.

The cobblestone pavements were well-maintained, and the spacious city square ahead of them split into four different directions. In the centre of it, there was a magnificent fountain, the water glistening in the sunlight.

The carriage slowly made its way across the city square, and further ahead into the residences and marketplace. The two ladies took in the sights of the city with amazed looks, not once glancing away.

Xue opened his eyes once during the journey to the castle, he couldn't help but smile as he observed them.

Alric: "We are in Puleun, am I right?"

Kai: "Yeah, why are you asking that?"

Alric: "I heard a strange story, bu-but no one knows if it was true or not."

Kai: "What is it?"

Alric: "...nevermind."

Xue was irked.

Xue: "Don't converse in my head."

The both of them went quiet.

Cecil was still enjoying the sights when a message popped up.

[ Be prepared for your meeting with the queen. You might run into something unexpected. ]

She furrowed her eyebrows, she knew only one of Xue's soul fragment was in this town. The time period for Puleun was extremely short in the novel, and Cecil did not know anything much about this monarchy or capital.

Thus, she knew nothing, and that made her uneasy.

***

《 start 》

The scar feels like a mark.

A mark on her beautiful, fair skin.

A mark to protect one of "me", and only me.

A mark that belongs to me.

That gratifies me.

《 stop 》