"Well...... I'm losing my mana."

"WHAT!?" And I thought I couldn't be surprised anymore today.

"How is that even possible....?" I asked. I may not have much knowledge about mages but losing their mana after developing powers was something I had not heard of.

"Its a very rare case- to lose mana after becoming a grown mage. One in a million mages start losing their mana even after their grown-up. It's just like the opposite with the others. When 99 percent mages start developing a stronger and permanent mana as they grow up, the rest 1 percent start losing it. And I'm just that unlucky one percent!" Seanna exclaimed frustratedly.

"How long have you known that?" I asked. I didn't even notice that her mana was disappearing. And she even healed me a few months ago.

"After I couldn't fully heal Kyles the day he got attacked." Seanna said sadly, "I thought it was weird and got checked a few days later by another mage teacher who told me that my mana was reducing."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" I asked, feeling kind of sad.

"I... I was ashamed of myself. It's really rare for a mage to lose their mana.... I couldn't even deal with it myself, let alone tell everybody." She said as her eyes teared up again.

"Is..is there no way to restore your mana?" I asked. In almost all the tea parties I had with Seanna, she always told me how she wanted to be a mage doctor. It was her dream.

"Mari tried finding a way to restore mana but he hasn't been very successful at that. This kind of thing rarely happens." Seanna said.

I thought about it for a second.

I searched up my memories for something....information from the novel...anything.

Then suddenly I remembered, "The magician's stone!!"

Seanna looked at me, her eyebrows shot up.

"You know that purple stone I got after winning the competition!", I told her, "They said that a mage's mana can become stronger with the stone. Since your mana hasn't fully disappeared, you still have a chance."

She looked at me with wide amber eyes that soon filled with hope but dulled just a second later, "A magician's stone is a very rare item, we can't find it anywhere but the black market and even there, it has a very high price."

I rolled my eyes, "Why do you need to find another magician's stone when I have one right here?"

She looks at me with wide hopeful eyes, "You'll...give it to me?"

"Yeah. Like I don't have a practical use for that." I told her. I don't own a sword nor am I a mage, that thing was just lying in my closet.

"Yes...but you could give it to your significant other..you could give it to Raashid." She said and I looked at her quizzically.

What kind of a shit logic is that?

"Why would I give it to Raashid?" I asked, "He is already the best swordsman in Obelia."

She looked thoughtful for a second before saying, "I'll ask Mari about it....Thanks Adailia."

I smile at her as she made her way towards the door before she stopped midway and turned back to face me, "And Adailia....that punch was....damn! That asshole totally deserved that." She said in awe.

I smirked, "Yeah, that punch broke my fingers." I said raising my fist so she could see the bandage around it. She winced, "I'll send a doctor to your room, bye."

After she left the room, I just had a relaxing bath before getting checked up and having dinner.

A lot of shit happened today.

__

_____

I thought the next day would be a bit relaxing but it wasn't.

As soon as I entered my first class, Hayden, who was standing beside the door all the while grabbed my wrist and made his way out of the classroom.

"What the hell?! Let go!" I said, trying to snatch my wrist away from him but he kept on pulling me towards god knows where.

What is he thinking?!

He entered an empty room and pushed me inside as I stumbled. He turned around to face me and I mentally smirked at the bandaid on his nose. My fingers are healed due to the mage doctor but I'm not supposed to use them for violence just yet.

"Hayden Wynknight, what do you think you're doing?" I yelled at him as he locked the door.

"Adailia de Perinius, I do hope you know that there are consequences for your actions." He said in a cold voice making me freeze for a second, "You hit a western royal. I do hope you know what punishment you'll get for that."

I flinched but then looked at him confidently, "You kidnapped a noble lady, I also hope you know what punishment you'll get for that."

His glare dropped as he looked at me confusedly, "I didn't kidnap anyone."

"Well, what do you call this then?!" I asked pointing at us and then the whole room, "Forcefully bringing me to an unknown place and then locking the door! God knows what you'll do next!"

He frowned, "We are still in the Academy.", "That doesn't mean you didn't kidnap me." I countered.

"Well, as long as you get back safe without any harm or money involved, it will not be considered as kidnapping." He stated,"Besides, you insulted a western royal and injured me. You're going to rot in jail for the rest of your life." He smirked evilly, "But if you beg for forgiveness, I may reduce the number of days you'll spend in that hell hole."

I flinched....before a wave of anger went over me.

Bitch, do I really look like I'll ask for 'your' forgiveness?! I'll rather rot in jail.

But he was right on this one and I can't argue otherwise....but I sure can get out of this mess.

"Well, that's sad. My family will miss me when I'm in jail." I said sadly before looking at him straight in the eyes, "Especially Seanna, though before leaving, being the nice friend I am, I'll put in a good word about you."

He flinched and visibly tensed when I mentioned Seanna, "Good word?"

I smirked, "Yeah, about how 'gentle' you are."

His eyes darkened, "I didn't even touch you."

"You, a horny teenager brought a girl to an isolated room and locked the door." I pointed out, "Nobody beyond these locked doors knows what's happening between us. And knowing your personality, everyone is probably thinking that we are doing 'that'." I replied, "If I run out right now with messed up clothes, hairs and fake tears, everybody will think what I want them to think."

He stayed silent for a few moments, his glare prominent on me, "You won't do that."

"Yes, I would. Seanna deserves better than your immature flirty ass." I snapped.

And so did he.

He quickly stepped forward, his hand on his sword hilt as if to slaughter me on the spot but before he could take another step towards me a sword drew between us.

"Take a step back. Now!" Raashid said in an authoritative voice which Hayden had to obliged.

I was never this happy to see this kid.

"How did you get inside?" I asked as Raashid pointed his sword at Hayden.

"Window." He answered briefly before glaring at Hayden, "How can you raise your sword against a lady? To think you'd stoop this low."

Hayden snickered, "Well, this lady just insulted me and punched me yesterday."

Raashid looked at him for a second then at me and then at Hayden with a shocked look on his face, "Who? This Adailia? This weak fragile lady punched you?"

I smirked and joined him, "I don't know what he is talking about." I tell him, using my awesome acting skills, "He keeps blaming me for hurting him when I didn't even do anything." I mumbled sadly.

"You guys are smart. But memory stones do exist." Hayden replied smugly and Raashid and I dropped our acts.

Memory stones can extract memories from people and show them to other people.

I personally hate this stone.

"Well, are you going to show the judiciary that you got punched by a woman?" Raashid asked and then laughed, "So you want to get publicly humiliated, huh?"

I love this kid.

Hayden glared at the two of us before stating, "Well, then bid her goodbye. She'll be exiled from your empire for insulting a western royal."

My heart dropped, he can actually do that and there's nowhere out. Honestly, what was I thinking when I insulted him?! Just because I got out of it easily before when I insulted Raashid, doesn't mean I'll get out of it every single time.

"Well, so are you," Raashid states confidently, snaking his arm around my waist and tugging me into his chest, "for insulting my fiancee and Obelia's future empress."

My mouth dropped and so did Hayden's.

What is he......?

Raashid looked at me briefly, quickly winking at me.

Ooohhh...this guy wants me to play around and get Hayden off my back. Then I am in.

"Yes." I said, keeping my hand on Raashid's shoulder drawing us close, "You just insulted the future empress of Obelia, a future Royal."

Hayden stared at us incredulously before asking, "What about Seanna? Didn't you have a thing for her?"

"No. Seanna is just a friend." Raashid said firmly before mumbling quietly, "Why do people keep thinking I like her?"

Hayden studied us for a moment before replying, "But Adailia isn't announced as your fiancee officially yet."

"She will be soon enough and then you'll have to suffer the punishments for insulting my empress.", Raashid said confidently, "Besides, you'll be announced as a duke next year, meaning you'll be 'just a duke with the royal blood' insulting a 'future empress of another empire'. Think about who'll have higher chances of getting exiled. Surely, not me." I said and smirked at Hayden. Though that's not how things work. If he reported me now, I'll have no choice but to leave the empire because at this moment he is a western Royal and I'm a mere noble. Even though I might be the (fake) future empress, I don't have the right to insult him when I'm not even (falsely) announced as Raashid's fiancee. If he sues me, not even Raashid can take me out of this deep shit.

Hayden looked as if he was not understanding what to do so I took that as a chance to resolve things quickly, "Let's just forgive each other." I said, "Let's forget whatever happened and not meddle with each others business' anymore."

Hayden looked at me, contemplating what to do and after what felt like hours he finally nodded and left the room.

I let out a sigh of relief, detaching myself from Raashid and looked at him gratefully.

"Thanks Raashid. I wouldn't have been able to get out of that if it weren't for you." I thanked him.

He smiled, taking my hand and placing a gentle kiss on it, "Anything for my lovely fiancee."

I froze.

What?

"What fiancee?" I asked, taking my hand away from him.

He looked at me innocently, "Didn't you just agree to be my fiancee? In front of Hayden?"

I looked at him incredulously, "That was obviously all an act."

"It was?" Raashid asked with a shocked expression, "I didn't know. I thought you were serious when you said yes."

I scowled at him, "Raashid, both you and I know that it was an act. I'm not going to be your fiancee."

He dropped his act and sulked for a moment before saying, "Can't you consider it at least?" He asked, "We would make such an awesome couple with our knowledge and run this empire together."

I thought for a second before replying, "I don't know....beisdes...you're too young for me."

"How old are you then?" He asked.

"29 almost 30." I told him.

"If we are talking like that, then I'm 35, stuck in the body of a nineteen-year-old." He states.

That's true....

"Consider it. Please consider it." He said, giving me puppy eyes.

Ugh! He's giving me those eyes again... it's hard to reject him like that!

"I really love you." He whispered and I felt heat creep up to my neck.

"And.........I really love your cape. It's so cool." I said quickly, avoiding the sudden confession, "I'm getting late for the class, see you later."

I waved him off as he chuckled and went straight to the classroom after cooling down my heated cheeks.