บท 29: The Magician's Gift.

Diellzain's training ended after he defeated the last knight standing. Because of my words, he ended up healing all the injuries he inflicted towards the other knights, and I tried my best to give him praises. He looked really happy when I did that. That kid, despite his mature acts towards Alina, he's still immature. Confused? Me too.

Anyway...

I wonder what this jerk of a magician wants to do here? Using the balcony again to trespass my room. Use the door!

But, this guy's avoiding my brothers, it's understandable why he's always entering this room using the balcony. Sometimes, he'll just appear in front of you if he felt like using his teleportation skills. Maybe he enjoys using the balcony? Or maybe using a skill requires tons of mana? But he's probably got enough mana for that?

"What?" He asked after noticing that I'm staring at him.

"Asher, why is Alina's mana overflowing?" I asked. Is it because I can't control it yet?

"Too much mana than the vessel can hold," Huh? So Alina have a lot of mana? Wow, and she couldn't even learn magic in the novel because her brothers refused the idea of her getting into the Wizard Akademia? Wait, maybe one of the reasons why they hated Alina was because of her mana? Dang those envious jerks!

"If I can control it, would I be able to store it within me?" He shook his head. Why not?

"If you want that body of yours to explode and your organs scattered all over the Alphard Palace, you can do that," The heck?! What does he mean by that? Why the hell would my body explode if I store the overflowing mana within me?

"Why..?"

"Like I said, your body can't store it. That small body of yours will go 'boom' if you try to. You can only store it once you're eighteen---and I'll be finally free when that day comes," the look of relief just by thinking about his freedom...

Suddenly, I wanna spit on his face. It's like he's implying that he doesn't have his freedom right now!

"Well, good for you," I mumbled. That means I still have thirteen years to figure out how to dispel the curse that's been placed to Alina's family. I need Asher for that to happen after all.

"I bet you'll get lonely without me," I raised a brow. Look at his smug smile---I wanna tear it off.

"I bet my life would be so peaceful without you," I retorted back. He scoffed and lay down on the couch before closing his eyes.

"With overflowing mana and creating beasts? That's so peaceful, indeed," I snorted and stared at him. Looks like he's gonna rest now. I wonder how he's able to take care of Alina's mana? Is he absorbing the overflowing mana or what? I'm quite curious.

"Asher," He did not answer.

There's no way he already fell asleep when he just closed those eyes a few moments ago? Does he not want to be bothered at all? Maybe he's exhausted. I know nothing about how his day goes on, so I shouldn't bother him.

I took a deep breath and crawled down the bed. Themis isn't here yet, so there's no one to sing me lullabies. She said there's something she needs to talk about with the Emperor, and I have no idea what it is about. I hope it's not about Alina's stubborness before which caused her to drown.

I opened the door of the balcony and the strong breeze of wind passed by me. The wavy hair of this kid and the night gown I was wearing was blown back. I can even feel heaviness all over my body because of it. But after getting used to the wind, I walked outside.

I look up to the sky, and its full of stars as usual. The beauty of the sky here really is mesmerizing. I went to the single couch here and take a seat, leaning on its back and closing my eyes. However, just after I closed it, I felt a really heavy feeling.

I tried to open my eyes again, but I can't do it! And my body--it's so heavy that I can't even move! What the heck? Is this sleep paralysis? Right away after I closed my eyes?! That's really suspicious!

'Fel...are you back?'

What the heck---that voice is familiar? But it sounds really creepy and scary! Who's that?!

'You're not Fel...' Who's Fel? I think I already heard that name before. From who?

'But you have Fel's powers...then, it's fine,'

Huh? Is this guy talking to me? What the heck, that's so strange!

I tried to move my body and open my eyes but it's no avail! I can't do anything about this! I've never experienced this before...so how am I supposed to wake up from this? What the heck happened? Why is this happening to me when I only closed my eyes? It's so heavy...my body feels like it's being crushed by something really really heavy! And I can't even move an inch no matter how I try!

'You'll be my sacrifice then...'

Sacrifice...? Me? Who the heck is this person?!

I'm scared...Ash.

Asher...Asher, wake me up!

'It's all because you drank that drink, honey...' Huh...?

That voice is different than the other one, it sounds really sweet and soft, and its coming from a female person. And what drink? Are they referring to the chocolate drink that Asher left for me earlier? But why would Asher give me a drink that would make me experience this?

'You're really troublesome, my godchild,' Godchild...is this Asher's sister? One of the Astra's Three, Ashley Astra? She can talk to me?

I tried my best to move my body. I even started moving my fingers and toes, because those are the only parts I can move. I grit my teeth as I try to open my eyes.

"....Dar...all that..."

Hmm? I can hear Asher's voice!

"Every...is...within..."

He's mumbling something!

'That drink wasn't from Ash, sweetie,'

"...disperse!"

When I heard Asher saying that word. I was finally able to open my eyes and move my body. I lift myself from the couch and catch for breath. My head hurts like hell...

"How are you?" Asher asked. I placed my hands on my chest as I try to calm myself. My heart's racing so fast, and I can't even answer Asher's question. What the heck was that? I just want to relax myself here before I sleep...and that happened?

"Hey," I moved my hands to my head, because seriously it hurts like hell. I want to close my eyes but I'm afraid to do it.

"Does your head hurt?" Asher asked. I grit my teeth and took a deep breath before nodding my head. Did he felt my mana in a mess and was woken up by it? Or maybe he wasn't asleep in the first place.

Dang it, who was that jerk who tried to make me his sacrifice? Was it the black magician? But, the black magician Athalia is a female, right? Then...is there another villain here?

"Asher..."

"Yes, I know. Ley told me," I knew it. That voice was Ashley Astra. Alina's godmother. Did she figure out that the soul here isn't Alina's but someone else's?

"I don't know but...how did you got a dark magic attached to you?" Oh, that's right. Did Miss Ashley forgot to tell her about that chocolate that I drank, thinking it was from Asher's?

"And I was meaning to ask you this. How come your mana was overflowing rapidly? That's really strange...it was never at this speed before. Tsk, I couldn't even sense that dark magic, did you interacted with someone suspicious before?" He asked.

I need to tell him about it...

"Ahh, actually. There's this chocolate drink on my table earlier...there's even a note from you, saying that it helps me seal my mana for a day," Asher cocked his brow and his face looks irritated. Looks like I made him mad...

I gulped and lower my head.

"Why would I do something like that when I can just cast the spell on you personally?" He asked. His voice sounds really annoyed. He's right, I didn't think about it that much because I already trust this person.

"I'm sorry...b-but, I'm not lying! I put the glass and crumpled paper under my bed--I-I'll get it!" I said and hopped down from the couch. I was about to enter the room, but he spoke again.

"I know. I believe you," he said. I looked at him and he's walking towards the balustrade. He leaned on it and close his eyes. He's furrowing his brows as if thinking hard about something.

"I-I wonder if there are two...you know, enemies...the black magician Athalia, and another one..." I mumbled.

My heart's still beating fast because of what happened earlier. I'm still nervous.

"There's only one enemy," He replied. Based on his words, he already know who the enemy is. He opened his eyes and turn his head up, staring to the starry sky.

"The truth is, there were four Astra's before. The other one is supposed to guard this realm---an incarnation of the Goddess of Life. However, after she fell..."

I couldn't hear the rest of his words, because all of the sudden. I feel really sleepy and strangely, I can't control my eyes and body at all. I yawn and my eyes slowly closes as I lose control of my body.

Just when I was about to fall, I felt an arm around my waist. Surely, that was Asher.

"Are you narcoleptic?" I heard him ask. No way, this body don't have that disorder at all. I'm pretty sure this is your doing!

---

I watched the birds as they fly around each other like playing. Being a bird seems really easy...I wish I just became a bird instead of being transported here as someone who's fate is to die.

"Sighing again, Your Highness?" I ignored the magician beside me and just stared at the knights. Looks like Diellzain is not attending their training today, I can't find him since a while ago.

I'm at the Altair Palace's Library and I can't forget what happened last night. I'm pretty sure it's not a sleep paralysis, but something caused by the dark magic that Asher removed from my body. Who the heck placed that chocolate drink there and wrote that note? I didn't know Asher's handwriting, so I just believed it was him.

He's the only one who can talk to me about my overflowing mana freely after all.

That means our enemy knows about it as well.

Wait, I think I remember Asher telling me about the Astra's last night. What was it? I can't remember.

"Asher. Is my mana still overflowing fast?" I asked. Asher stared at me for a moment before walking towards me. He stared right into my eyes and furrowed his brows.

"No. After I detach the dark magic from you last night, it became normal again," he said.

"So, what are you trying to figure out everytime you look at my eyes?" He 'hmph'-ed and turn around as he starts walking towards the nearest chair.

"I just thought your eyes are golder than your brothers," he answered. Alina's eyes are golder than her brothers? For real? I didn't even notice that. Asher really is observant.

"How'd you know that when you're not even interacting with Alina's brothers?" I asked. He stayed quiet, just looking at me as if he wants to say something.

I wonder what he's thinking.

"After I heard you say 'my family' before, I haven't heard you say that again. Always Alina's here, Alina's that," Hmm...well, I am not Alina.

"Is that so?" I asked, turning my head to the knights again. It's because they aren't 'my' family, but Alina's. Iliana is not 'my' mother, but Alina's. I can't say the same thing to Orpheus though, because both Alina and I are not related to that man at all.

"Do you not accept yourself as Alina?" Asher asked. I ignored his words and place my elbow on the window sill as I lean my cheek on my palm. I close my eyes as I feel the wind breeze and listen to the birds' melodies.

Maybe he's right. I don't see myself as Alina at all. I don't know why, but I feel this heaviness of guilt whenever I hang out with Alina's family. It should be her who's having a fun time with them, not me.

"Why not? Is it because you don't think you're Alina?" I'm amazed he's still asking me despite being ignored. His patience is acting up, that's surpising.

"What if you're the real Alina? You simply remembered your past life?" Huh?

Is that even possible?

I turned my head to him and he's looking at me normally. Without the smirk, the pirate smile, the smug smile. Looks like he was serious about that question.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"It's not impossible, you know?" He replied and shrugged his shoulders. This person is an oldie who knows a lot of things. If he says something like that, I might actually believe him.

"Or maybe you're originally Alina here, you died and then was reincarnated to another world. So, when you died in that world, you came back to your original body," That complicates things, Asher.

"Please stop giving me more things to think of," I sighed and face the training grounds again.

Why is he suddenly saying those things? Is it actually possible? Or maybe it's true? He won't tell me about it if it's impossible. Asher is an Astra. God Creo's incarnation, and immortal at that. He had already seen and experienced a lot of things.

But...let's not think about it. Jeez.

"Hey, Princess," I turned to Asher when he called me. His voice sounds normal, so he's not about to tease or annoy me right now.

"Here..." He showed me his right fist. What?

"Hmm?" I tilt my hand and stared at his balled fist. Suddenly, it glows gold, and when he opened it...

"Woah---a necklace! It looks really pricy---I mean, pretty!" Dang it. I almost show my other side there. Pricy means I can make a fortune out of it! Ahhh, lucky!

It's made of gold---pure gold! The pendant is also gold, a golden four-leaf clover! Right, that's right! I can sell this and I can live a life full of peace! I can even start a business!

"You're drooling,"

"I'm not!"

"You can't sell that. It's a charm to protect you from dark magic," Aww, so it has a purpose. I thought he's just giving it to me as an accessory ~

"Thank you..." I spoke. I was about to reach for it, but all of the sudden it disappeared from his hand, and I felt a cold feeling around my neck.

"Woah...that's so cool!" I mumbled when the necklace teleported to my neck! Magic is really amazing---I won't get tired saying that.

"Make sure not to remove that," I smiled at Asher and nod at him.

"Thanks so much, Almighty Astra ~ huehue," I stared at the clover pendant and it's really amazing how perfect it is. This is real gold!

"Yeah..." That'd the only thing he said.

I can feel his stares but I ignored it. This necklace is so amazing. However...why can't I remove it?! Themis and the others are gonna take it off for aesthetic everytime they dress me up.

Hm, nevermind. If I tell them it's from Asher, they'll let me keep wearing it.

***