[√]Lady of the White Rose

8: A Stranger

VESPER

Frontera Dukedom is one of the four Duke Families of Lorence Kingdom. A once home for the greatest Magicians but now only a handful of them was found. Since a hundred years ago, Knights dominated the fight against magician when their power decreased significantly with unknown cause.

The knights took that as a chance and present themselves with overwhelming strength that can even cut through magic, called auras. They developed auras that can stand against the highly regarded power of the world which is magic.

Though aura is similar to magic which uses mana from the environment, it is also a completely different thing. For magicians they have magic circles which they use to manipulate to create magic with the concept of elements. Meanwhile, knights have mana hearts that stored mana which they can use to enhance their physiques and coated their sword with the concept of one's own will.

If a magician's strength lies with how many magic circles he or she has, a Knight's strength lies with how strong one's will is. It is said that the stronger the will, the stronger the aura of that knight is.

The current King of Lorence is also one of the famed knights, though he's not as strong as Father is. He is capable. Meanwhile the Queen is a wise, benevolent and strong magician with high affinity to water. And their sole heir, the crown prince Lorenzo Dimitri Von Lorence, is a... Handsome young man, or so I heard.

Sa totoo lang wala masyadong impormasyon tungkol sa prinsepe. Hindi rin siya nagpapakita sa mga social gatherings. I think the last time he showed up was when he was still five years old... Or is it six? I forgot basta sobrang bata niya pa noon. Ni hindi ko na nga maalala ang mukha niya.

Ayon sa palasyo, the reason why the prince isn't showing himself to the public is because there were a lot of assassination attempts aiming for his life.

"Make sure you contact the Blacksmith village to procure additional weapons for your next mission..." Natigilan si papa sa pagkausap kay Kuya Kaido nang dumako ang atensyon nito sakin when kuya Iklis and I enter the dinning hall. Aidan left a while ago. We told him that he can stay for dinner but he decline, saying he already promise his mother that they'll eat together.

Must be nice to have a mother. My mother died when I was very young, she died even before I can remember her face.

"You're here, let's eat," sambit nito at muling binalingan ng tingin si Kuya Kaido. "Ipagpatuloy na lang natin ang ating usapan mamaya sa opisina ko."

Umupo si Kuya Iklis sa tabi ni Kuya Kaido samantalang umupo naman ako sa kaliwa ni papa kung saan kaharap ko si Kuya Kaido. Well, Kuya Kaido is the heir of our family since he's the first born. And it seems like Kuya Iklis doesn't have any interest in that position, so do I.

Nagsimula kaming kumain habang panaka-nakang nagtatatong si papa sa amin kung kamusta ang naging araw namin. It was just our usual dinner just like the other nights, nothing special happened. Though I was happy that we can still eat together, the four of us.

It was when Kuya Kaido left for inspection that we can't eat together for a while dahil naging busy na rin sina papa at Kuya Iklis nang makaraang araw. Sa tingin ko nagkaproblema pero hindi ko naman alam saan at ano kaya hindi na ako nakisawsaw.

"Good night, My Lady!"

Paalam ni Abby bago maingat na sinarhan ang pinto ng kwarto ko. Umupo lang ako sa kama ko dahil hindi pa naman ako inaantok. Sinabi ko lang kay Abby na matutulog na ako upang umalis na siya dahil gusto ko muna mapag-isa.

Kinuha ko ang kwentas na binigay kanina ni Kuya Iklis sa akin. Sabi niya ito daw ang pinakamalaking perlas na natagpuan sa south? Or something? Ewan, basta.

Inikot-ikot ko ito sa mga kamay ko. "Didn't he just said that it has defense and teleportation magic? I wonder how one activate them?" Sinuri ko pa ito ng mabuti, nagbabakasakali na may madiskubreng kasagutan.

Kailangan ko malaman paano i-activate ang teleportation magic, paano na lang kung manganib ang buhay ko at ang tanging meron lang ako ay ang kwentas na 'to? Dapat alam ko kung paano ito gamitin upang makaligtas ako kung sakali man.

But... This pearl looks completely normal. I titled my head habang seryosong ina-analisa ang kwentas. Maliban sa mukhang mamahalin ito ay mukhang wala namang espesyal sa kwentas -

Nagulat ako dahil bigla itong lumiwanag sa hindi ko malamang dahilan. Nanlalaki ang mga matang napatitig ako dito. And when I feel the pearl move in my palm I immediately throw it without hesitation with a soft gasp in surprised.

Oh my god! Sorry, Kuya Iklis! Alam kong binigay mo sa'kin 'to out of goodwill but that thing just move and it was creepy, I hope you'll forgive this cute, lovable sister of yours!

Muli ako napasinghap nang mas lalong umilaw ang kwentas. Just what the hell? Ano'ng kababalaghan ang nangyayari? Walang sinabi si Kuya Iklis tungkol dito!

Nahigit ko na lamang ang hininga ko nang biglang may taong lumabas sa kwentas! Sa kaba, gulat at takot ko ay kusang gumalaw ang katawan ko, kinuha ko ang lampshade sa gilid ng kama at pikit matang hinapas sa kanya.

I heard the lamp shattered nang tamaan ito sa ulo.

"Tangina!" Isang malakas at malutong na mura ang namutawi sa buong silid. Agaran akong nagmulat ng mata only to see a guy staring coldly and angrily at me like he want to decapitate my precious neck. Blood roll down from his forehead down to his cheek.

I gasp... Again. With widen eyes I back away from him. Baka kasi suntukin talaga ako nito dahil sa ginawa ko sa kanya kapag hindi pa ako umatras.

Dapat na ba ako mag-usal ng panalangin? No, kalma lang V, hindi mo kasalanan 'to. Right, it's not my fault but his fault for suddenly showing up without notice in my room! Sino namang normal na tao ang hindi magugulat at matatakot kung bigla na lamang may estranghero ang lumitaw mula sa kung saan?

I did nothing wrong, it was only self defense.

"You!"

I almost jump in fright when he violently dash towards me. Of course, I immediately run away from him! Halos liparin ko na ang kabilang bahagi ng aking silid makalayo lamang sa kanya.

"Huwag kang tumakbo! What did you just do? Bakit ako nandito?" Sunod-sunod nitong usal habang hinahabol pa rin ako.

"Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sinasabi mo! Ikaw 'yong bigla na lang lumitaw!"

"No!"

"No mo mukha mo!" I hissed. "Pwede ba, 'wag mo akong habulin? Ano bang gusto mo? Pera? Alahas? --Kyahh! -Huff!"

He suddenly jump towards me which caught me off guard. Hindi ganun kalapit ang distansya nito mula sa akin upang maabot niya ako sa isang talunan lang. And it looks like as if he suddenly appear in front of me in just a blink of an eye!

He use his own body weight to knock me down and cover my mouth with his hand. A loud thud was heard when my body hit the floor and it hurts!

How gentle! I sarcastically scoff. Knocking a lady just like that.

"My Lady? Ayos ka lang ba diyan? May narinig akong ingay! My Lady?!"

It's Abby!