A Tree of Eris's Hope (Circu Series #1)

Chapter 3

Demon

“Sorry, I caused trouble. ” Eirene said, scratching his head, looking drained from what happened. We’re now walking toward the center of Espanya Town, where the festival is being celebrated. In this area, people are performing dances enhanced with magic to make the show more lively. Some are singing, while others entertain kids with magic fireworks.

“That’s okay,” I replied nonchalantly. He didn’t get caught, so there’s nothing to worry about. Still, how do I find Eury in this big town? I’m crazy to think it would be easy.

“Oh! I almost forgot. Where do you want to go? I said I’d guide you! ”

“I can’t decide… I’m not sure if she’s even here.”

“Who? Are you looking for someone? ”

“Yeah, my friend.”

“Then let’s check out every spot we pass by. We might find her. What’s her name? ”

“Eury.”

We stopped by a museum with a long line of people waiting to enter. “Let’s go inside.”

So, we enter the museum, which is filled with portraits of people I don’t recognize. They’re individuals who sacrificed their lives fighting for this country. There are also portraits of wizards who discovered significant things.

“Eris, look! I saw the portrait move!” Eirene suddenly pointed at a large painting of a woman who looked to be in her twenties. But it looks normal to me. I don’t sense any magic.

“Hey, brat, are you still nervous because of your father? Want to take a break? ”

“Y-Yeah, maybe you’re right. I might just be imagining things, haha,” he said, though he didn’t seem fully convinced.

Sigh, Am I sure about what I’m doing? It feels like I’m just wasting time here. I should just enjoy this and go home if I can’t find her. I’ll figure out another way.

I stopped walking when Eirene suddenly stopped and stared at a wand displayed behind glass. “Eris, it’s that symbol again! It’s the same as the one on my wand,” he said, pulling out his wand. According to the information provided, the wand on display is one of the greatest wands, said to have lived for a thousand years, though its user remains unknown.

“Whoa, nice wand,” said an old man who approached us, curiously looking at Eirene’s wand. “That arcane wand is part of the Circu. I can’t believe there’s another Circu wand here in Eterna.”

“Sorry, old man, but what’s Circu? ” Eirene asked, confused. The old man and I exchanged glances before he suddenly smiled at me.

He laughed and stroked his chin, showing signs of age with his white hair. “Circu is a group that Discordia belonged to. The former owner of that wand was from Circu. I still remember because I saw them when I was a kid.”

“Oh, I remember them now! ” He suddenly grabbed his notebook and wrote something down. “They are legends.”

“Director! ” A man came rushing toward us, looking flustered as if he had been running for a while. “I’ve been looking for you! ”

“Oh, Geyo, I found an interesting kid. He’s got a Circu wand. ” The director pointed out. Geyo looked shocked.

“Whoa... the quality of this wand... This is really a Circu wand. Kid, what’s your name? ” Geyo asked, turning his attention to Eirene, who looked like he was in a daze.

“B-By any chance, are you the director of Hiraya? ”

“Oh! You know me? Hahaha. Most students don’t even know my face. I’m honored you know me, Eirene.”

“Wait, Director, you know this kid? ”

“Of course, that’s King Aeolus’s son. Anyway, where did you find this wand? ” Geyo’s expression was one of surprise, but he was also clearly curious as they both waited for Eirene’s answer.

This is such a pain.

Who are these people, and can’t they mind their own business?

“A-Ah… someone gave it to me…” Eirene stammered, unsure of what to say.

“Someone gave it to you? Who? ” They grew even more curious, and Eirene didn’t know how to respond. Geyo, in particular, looked at Eirene with suspicion.

I cleared my throat to shift their attention away from Eirene. “He’s feeling pressured. Please stop questioning my friend. He didn’t steal it—I’m the one who gave it to him.”

“How—”

“Not your business, so leave us alone.” I cut him off, then signaled Eirene to leave with me.

“W-Wah! Why did you say that?! What if he recognizes me and targets me? He’s the director of Hiraya! ” Eirene panicked.

“I was just saving you.”

“I can’t believe this wand is from Circu! Isn’t it dangerous for me to keep it? Won’t they try to take it away from me? ”

“I don’t know, but you might become a target because of that Circu wand. In Eterna, Circu is held in high regard because, historically, they played a huge role in shaping the future here. That’s why people conduct research to learn more about them. But since not much is known about Circu, if they find out you have that wand, you could be in danger. It can grant you a lot of power, and it’s human nature to be greedy.”

“I’m scared! Why are you talking so calmly while saying something terrifying? Maybe we should just return it to the shop! ”

“Sure.”

“What?! Why are you agreeing so easily? ”

“Well, I realized you’re actually in danger if you keep it, so returning it might be for the best.” Besides, that wand is cursed, and it’ll attract demons once they sense the curse is lifted. That means they’ll know I’m still alive.

“Oh, I forgot to mention—other monsters might be drawn to you too since they’ll realize I broke the curse on that wand,” I added cheerfully.

“Eris! Are you trying to get me killed?! W-Wah! ” Eirene stared at me in disbelief. “If that happens, I’ll have to say goodbye to Arki! Waah! ”

“Let’s test it tomorrow. If the wand isn’t compatible with you, give it to me.”

“O-Okay…” He still looked worried, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are you laughing? This is not the time to joke around! ”

“So, you don’t want the wand anymore? ” I teased. He held onto it tightly, clearly reluctant to let it go.

“I do want it! You gave it to me. But what if it’s not compatible with me? ”

“So you’re not scared they might take it from you? They could kill you, you know…”

“I’m not really that worried when you’re here.”

“Don’t trust strangers so easily.”

“Eris! Eirene! ” Marina called out as she ran toward us excitedly. “We found a clue about where Eury is!”

“Where have you been? And what’s with all those bags? ” I noticed they were carrying so many shopping bags, even Margareth had some balanced on her head. “And you said you found a clue? ”

“Yeah! While we were exploring, we ran into some guides! They mentioned Eury. She’s not here, but she’ll attend King Aeolus’s birthday. I think she’s working at Hiraya University.”

Gabáy, what is that, an organization?

“Oh, right! You mentioned you were looking for your friend Eury. I think I’ve heard that name at our university. ”

Is she a teacher there? I can’t imagine that! She has anger issues, hates kids, and is definitely not the teacher type. If, in the eyes of fairies, I’m the worst, she’s much, much worse!

“What’s with her sudden change of heart? So she’s really serious this time, huh…”

We helped them carry the bags, which were filled with… clothes, boxes of cookies, perfumes—did they really go through every shop here?!

I couldn’t believe it. They even wanted to buy more, but I stopped them. “Did you know you’re all spending my money? You greedy fairies! And you too, Marina! Were you planning to shop till you drop? Let’s just go eat instead! ”

Marina pouted while Eirene couldn’t stop laughing at them. “I can lend you money if you want!”

“Don’t spoil them, brat, or I swear you’ll all be in trouble! ”







“Maybe she really is teaching there. She probably decided to stay in Eterna,” I said while taking a bite of pasta. What I find confusing is why she chose to become a teacher. It’s just not like her. I didn’t expect this. “Then I’ll go there.”

“But you can’t go there unless you’re a student,” Marina agreed with what Eirene said. “The security is very tight, especially with the wizard ranking competition happening in three weeks. I think they’re trying to avoid any trouble like what happened last year.”

“So, what should I do? ”

It’s easy to get out, but hard to get in? There are two portals I usually use. If I’m going to Hirama, I need to pass through the Holy Spirit Abandoned Castle because that’s where the gateway is. But when I go to Hirama, I end up behind Hiraya University.

Should I pretend to be a student? Will that work?

I looked at Eirene, who was deep in thought. “No idea.”

“You’re kidding, right? ”

“No, I’m not.”

I gave him an annoyed look, but he just shrugged. So, I flicked his forehead.

“Aw!”

“Just let Eirene look for her. ” Suggested Lelebeth. I glanced at the mess of large pizza slices she was devouring. And that was just for her.

“But I can’t find her if I don’t improve my rank. The higher your rank, the more connections you have. According to my notebook, if your rank reaches A1, you can directly contact the higher-ups. But seriously, I’ve never seen Eury before. Maybe she’s part of H-10.”

“What’s that? ”

“They train the Gabáy. They aim to surpass Circu.” I almost spat out my drink when I heard that.

“So you need to be part of Gabáy to do that? ”

“Y-Yeah... so I have no idea how to help you!”

“Then I will train you.”

“E-Eh?! Are you sure? ”

“I’m curious about how strong Gabáy is if Eury is really training them.” I secretly smiled. “And you’ll be kicked out if you’re still not A5. ” I teased him.

“Don’t mock me! ” He tried to grab the remaining slice of my cake, but I quickly pulled it away.

Our bickering was interrupted when we heard a scream from outside. We all stood up inside the inn. A man was running toward us, and Marina immediately asked what was happening.

“The performer over there suddenly went into a trance! It’s like he’s possessed! ”

“Let’s help! ” Eirene started to move, but I stopped him.

“There are many guards here because the king is present. They won’t let this escalate.” Just then, three wizards arrived to assist.

The boy with red hair created a circle surrounded by flames. “If you leave that circle, you’ll die.”

The possessed performer screamed loudly as if in pain. “Nice, Jiro! ” Said the woman, then she controlled the rocks to pin the performer’s feet. He struggled, but he couldn’t do anything.

“They are part of Gabáy. ” Eirene said, looking at me. “They are A2, but they are part of Gabáy, under Machito, their captain. Do you really think I can rank higher? They are strong. I don’t think I can match them. ”

I smiled at him. “You’re underestimating yourself. You can match them, just trust yourself, okay? They are strong. I won’t deny that. But you still have a lot to learn about yourself. You haven’t given your best yet, so why are you giving up so soon? ” I patted his head and smiled. “Besides, you have the best mentor here. If you trust me, I’ll help you unlock your true potential.”

I noticed Marina at the side, watching us. She smiled and seemed to be on the verge of tears.

“Don’t worry, everyone. We won’t let anything happen to anyone,” said the woman, who was a member of Gabáy. The people cheered, praising them.

While restraining the man with arcane chains to prevent him from using his magic, unexpectedly, something suddenly emerged from his mouth. I grew worried because Marina was there. Demons are attracted to deities who guard forests, and he might notice Marina.

And I was right, he attacked Marina. He strangled her, showing lust in his eyes. It seemed he wasn’t thinking clearly. Because there’s a demons who acts just like us.

“A guardian deity... Oh, I need to take you with me...”

“L-Let me go! ” Marina cried out with difficulty. Devon was about to attack the demon, but I stopped her. It would ruin their bodies if she did that. To my surprise, Eirene ran without hesitation to save Marina.

The next thing I knew, he had one-shot the demon. But he didn’t control it and calmed it down with a powerful wind spell accompanied by lightning. He used two elements. So, the wand triggered his mana, huh?

I was smiling while running at lightning speed, while people were fleeing. As they ran, I increased my speed. I changed my wand into a long one and used gravity manipulation to create a large black hole. Within seconds, it absorbed everything.

Because of what happened, we’re all now at the royal fortress with everyone involved. I took off my cloak and wrapped it around Marina, who seemed shaken by the incident. I kept my movements minimal, aware of the eyes on me. We’re in the king’s office because of what happened with Eirene. After the incident earlier, his father’s men saw everything, and now three members of Gabáy are also here.

Right now, Eirene is talking to his family, but since I’m an outsider, I’m just quietly staying on the sidelines. While waiting for King Aeolus, everyone’s attention is on me. I took a deep breath, though deep inside, I wanted to rip their eyes out for staring.

“Good evening. I’m Machito, the captain of Division 3. We’re thankful for what you and the prince did,” he said, bowing respectfully.

I lazily nodded and looked at him. “Yeah, sure.” I just want to go home. I hope that Brat is okay.

“If you don’t mind, what’s your name? ”He asked again.

“Eris.” The two younger members behind him whispered to each other, but I could still hear them.

“She runs like the speed of light—maybe even faster!”

“I don’t know who she is, but she’s strong and beautiful too!” I raised an eyebrow at the guy named Jiro’s comment.

“Oh crap! She heard us.” Machito gave them a stern look, making them go quiet.

“I want to go home. Why are we being kept waiting so long? I don’t want to waste my time,” I muttered without thinking. Devon and Marina’s eyes widened at my words. Confused, I looked at them, but they were staring at the door.

Eirene was there, standing beside his father, facepalming. I quickly closed my mouth, realizing he probably heard what I said.

“I apologize for making you wait,” King Aeolus said to everyone, but his eyes were on me. He walked over to his desk and sat down while we took our seats on the couch. I sat with Marina beside me, while the Gabáy members sat across from us. Eirene stood by my side.

“You really don’t know when to hold back, huh? ” Eirene whispered.

“It’s your fault we’re here, so don’t blame me,” I whispered back.

“Okay, fine, it’s my fa—” Our argument was cut short when his father cleared his throat.

“Both of you, be quiet,” Marina warned us.

“So, I’ve heard from my son about what happened earlier. I just want to thank all of you. It was a demon, after all, so it’s understandable that it was tough to defeat. Since no one was hurt, I’ll let it slide this time. But Gabáy, next time, I expect tighter security,” he said calmly, though his gaze was still fixed on me. I felt slightly uneasy, but I tried to maintain eye contact.

He’s intimidating with his wolf-cut hair and phoenix eyes. He’s good-looking—more handsome than any god I’ve seen. It must run in their blood, though Eirene gives off the complete opposite vibe.

He quickly looked away when I met his gaze. What’s his problem? I hope Eirene didn’t say anything weird to his dad.

“Thank you, Miss Eris, for minimizing the damage,” King Aeolus said, addressing me directly. I straightened up when he mentioned my name.

“A-Ah, yeah… Can I leave now? ” I said, standing up quickly. I bowed as a sign of respect. “You can discuss things without us, King Aeolus.”

He looked surprised and stood up too. He seemed like he wanted to say more but decided to keep quiet and let me leave.

“Eris! I know you don’t care much for formalities, but you’re in Eterna, okay?! ” Marina scolded me as she caught up with me. Devon and the others were rushing behind us, struggling with all their belongings, with Eirene tagging along. “I respect him because he’s the king of Eterna, so show some respect.”

It’s weird… There’s tension between us. I know he feels it too, which is why I decided to leave. I don’t like this feeling—it reminds me of when I touched his hand earlier.

“Sorry… I promise I won’t do it again. I just really want to go home now,” I said, feeling unexpectedly drained.

“Eris, why don’t you stay here? Just head back to España in the morning,” Eirene suggested, coming closer. Not far away, I saw his father walking quickly, as if searching for something. But when our eyes met, his pace slowed. “I asked my dad, and he agreed.”

“Why don’t you all stay here? It’s late, and I’ve had food prepared. You can eat and rest here,” King Aeolus said, his eyes still focused on me. I quickly looked away, and for the first time, I didn’t know how to respond or what excuse to make.

He’s looking at me like he really wants me to stay. And for the first time, I feel something I can’t quite describe.