Student To King: The Transportation To A New World

Chapter 14: A Slow Path To Healing

It had been a day since Aria's confrontation with the king. The students were free to do as they pleased until it was time for their scheduled training. Some of the students went to spar or train, trying to distract themselves from the aftermath of Ace's death. Others went to the upper districts for a change of scenery as they began their journey of recovery and resilience.

Aria was all alone as she lay on one of the garden trees, staring at the sky. She was lost in thought, wondering what to do now that Ace was gone. She felt empty, like a hollow shell, and was unable to motivate herself to move from her spot. She knew her goals and purpose in this world, but her thoughts of Ace constantly distracted her, recalling every happy memory with him only to be followed by tears of pain.

'I wonder what Ace was thinking every time he looked at the sky,' Aria wondered. 'Did Ace feel this empty without Luna? How did he bounce back after her disappearance?'

"There you are," Aria heard a familiar voice say. She looked up and saw Olivia, dressed in outdoor clothes, with a gentle smile on her face.

"Olivia..." Aria said.

"Oh dear... you look like a mess... and you've lost weight too, haven't you? Come on, a girl like you needs some cheering up."

Olivia had noticed the sudden change in Aria's appearance, from graceful to broken and lifeless. However, her goal was to help Aria slowly recover in time for their training session.

Olivia grabbed Aria's hand, dragging her along as Aria had no idea where they were going. Aria felt strangely calm and even mentally better once she was in Olivia's presence. Aria's lifeless eyes slowly gained life, as if she were following the light escaping from her darkness.

"W-where are we going...?" Aria asked.

"My house. I left a note for your friends letting them know you're in my care," Olivia replied.

"Y-you don't have to," Aria said.

"But I want to," Olivia smiled.

Aria had no choice but to go along with Olivia's plans. She followed her to the residential area in the upper districts, wondering what Olivia had planned for her.

In the higher districts of the residential area, the houses and buildings were built to perfection. The whole area had an expensive feel to it, with its cleanliness giving the atmosphere a shiny appearance. Most of the houses had marble white walls, but Olivia's house stood out with its warm colours.

'Her house looks comfortable...' Aria thought.

"Come on, don't just stand there. I cooked up my special just for you," Olivia said.

"Okay..." Aria replied.

Aria entered the house and was surprised to smell Olivia's cooking. Ever since their exploration of the Dungeon, Aria had lost her appetite. The food she ate tasted bland to her, and she only ate the bare minimum to keep her body functioning. As a result, Aria's body had become thinner and she had lost muscle mass.

"Help yourself to a seat. Let me just get something that you would like," Olivia said.

"Right..." Aria replied, taking a seat and looking around at her surroundings. She felt comfortable in Olivia's home. One thing that caught her attention was a small painting of Olivia and someone else. Aria stood up for a closer look.

"I'm back with your favorite. We'll eat this for dessert," Olivia said, bringing back a box of Aria's favourite cake. She noticed Aria's expression as she saw the cake and gave a saddened expression. She then focused her attention on the painting, seeing a young man with Olivia.