Chara is awoken by the sound of several people talking, slowly opening her eyes she sees the familiar room of the infirmary at Ave Ludum. "Why am I here?" She thought but her eyes opened wide with the memory of the battle against the werewolf and her dropping unconscious after Alicia's attack.

"ALICIA!" Chara screamed out, quickly rising up from the bed she is instead met by tremendous pain from her body.

"Oh good, you are awake. You know, being asleep for two days really tires a doctor out." The voice of doctor Buli could be heard from one of the beds over.

"Doctor Buli! Where is Alicia?" Chara asked, scared she had lost her friend.

"Before you ask you should look over." Buli simply answered, confused by her words she painfully turned her body towards the voice of Buli and saw the soundly asleep body of Alicia laying there. Sighing in relief she asked how they arrived back at the academy.

"I heard from the guards that they saw Alicia here carrying your unconscious body from the town square all the way to the academy." Buli asked to the confusion of Chara. Before Chara could ask Buli answered, "I don't know how either, my report said she passed out right away after the guards had arrived to help you guys. I guess you have to ask her when she wakes up."

Pondering about what happened she asked Buli for parchment and a pencil to write a letter to her family to ask for help in finding information about the werewolf and the so called "guild". Finishing her letter with a wax seal of her family's coat of arms she hands it over to one of the assistants in the infirmary and ask her to send it to house Fersun in Eredin.

Continuing her conversation with Buli suddenly they both stop talking and looked over towards the waking body of Alicia.

"Ch... Chara where are you?" Alicia asked slowly, afraid due to not knowing her whereabouts. Relieved she is awake Chara and Buli make eye contact before answering.

"Im here Alicia, you are safe, we are at the infirmary and doctor Buli is also here." Chara answered with a calming tone, hearing her friends voice Alicia's anxiousness disappear.

"Good morning Alicia, how are you feeling?" Buli asked.

"My entire body hurts, and my eyes are in severe pain." Alicia answered while recoiling in pain.

"What happened Alicia? When you two arrived here Chara's arms were nearly chattered and she had two broken ribs, for you miss, your mana was entirely empty and your arms were covered in a weird black material that I have never seen before." Buli asked, wanting to know how her two patients arrived to the infirmary with those kind of injuries.

"I can answer the first part, We were supposed to buy dresses and a weapon but we were intercepted by several masked people who wanted to kidnap Alicia, they were a part of something called "the guild". We successfully took down the kidnappers but who could have known the leader was a werewolf." Chara answered, still confused why a member of the cursed kin was here in Ruun.

"A werewolf you say? That is rare here indeed." Buli agreed with Chara's statement.

Looking over towards Alicia to answer the second part of the question, hesitating to tell the truth she chose to lie to Buli and tell the truth later to Chara when they were alone.

"I don't really remember, The last thing I remember is hearing Chara collapsing on the ground and panicking, then waking up here." Alicia replied.

"Either way, I'm glad you both are safe and that you both are in relatively good health. You can be discharged but aren't allowed to train for at least one week.” Thanking Buli for her help Chara looks at the back of Buli walking out from the infirmary, leaving her and Alicia alone in the room.

"What a way to visit the city." Chara joked, coughing in pain from the laughing.

laughing lightly at her friends comment she replied, "I guess it's a first for the city, being attacked by a werewolf in broad daylight."

Laughing at Alicia's comment Chara abruptly became serious and looked over towards Alicia.

"Alicia, tell me honestly, how did you save me?" Chara asked, knowing already she had been lying when Buli asked.

A sigh was heard from Alicia, understanding it was related to her secret Chara didn't press for an answer and instead let Alicia take her time.

"Honestly. I don't know how. When I heard your body falling to the ground I casted my detection spell and saw your mana core was nearly empty and I panicked. I don't know how or what spell I used but suddenly I was able to see again." Alicia explained to Chara, already placing her life in her friends hands.

"Huh? what do you mean you could see again?" confused Chara asked.

"For a moment I could see briefly, not clearly like you, instead it was like walking through a mist, only seeing a few meters in front of me. I guess it took all my mana just to keep my sight open." Alicia theorized.

"How is it now?" Chara asked, hoping Alicia's eyesight had returned.

Slowly lifting her hands up, her body resisting due to her injuries she slowly unwrapped her shawl and looked over towards the voice of Chara, letting the shawl fall down in her bed she opened her eyes and the darkness was still there. "The same as usual sadly, still darkness." Alicia answered sadly.

"Alicia, aren't the crystals supposed to be murky in color?" Chara asked, chocked by the sight of Alicias appearance.

"What do you mean, of course they are murky, mana isn't flowing through my body?" Alicia asked, confused by Chara's words.

"Well, it seems like one of the shards are activated, above your right eye a jade colored shard is shining in a light glow, barely noticeable for the untrained eye." Chara explained.

"That is worrying, jade is connected to the wind of divination, one of the winds no one except you and me know I have. We have to hide it."

Wanting to ask further she shushed Alicia as she could see the silhouette of two people outside the door. Swinging the door open Buli is seen walking in again followed closely behind by a guard.

"By the way girls, your belongings are located underneath Chara's bed, a passerby saw you guys leaving the boutique and left the bag to one of the guards at the entrance, also mr. Landi here have a letter for you two. Silently handing over the letter to Chara he gives a quick bow before leaving again with the doctor, leaving Alicia and Chara even more confused.

"Well, open the letter. Maybe its a love letter from one of the students." Alicia teased, gaining her an irritated gaze from Chara. Cracking the wax seal she reads out loud to Alicia.

"Dear Miss Fersun and Miss Solic.

You have been cordially invited to the banquet of springs at the palace of Eredin in one week at sunset.

A wagon has been entrusted to carry you from Ave Ludum to the capital.

First prince of Eredria, Gillian Eredros, first of his name, heir apparent to the house of Eredros."

"It seems like we have been invited to a banquet in the capital." Chara commented.

"Why would the first prince of Eredria invite us to a banquet?" Alicia confusedly asked Chara.

"It seems like all the princes will gather for this festival, and it seems like my dear brother had a hand in this." Chara answered while thinking about various reasons they would be invited.

"Are we going?" Alicia asked.

"Well, it is a formal invitation from a prince, if we refuse we might get sentenced to death. So I guess we have to try on our dresses." Chara answered with a joke.

"It doesn't matter right know, for the moment we have to move you to the knights quarters on the academy grounds, I can't trust the regular guards to protect you if our opponent is allying with a werewolf clan and shadow mages." Chara explained, not fully understanding but trusting her friends she agrees and Chara hops of from the bed, her body still hurting a little and begins to put on her clothes. Afterwards she grabs Alicias robe and walks over towards her bed but suddenly stops, a blush formed on her cheeks.

Unsure why Chara stopped Alicia asked if everything was okay, hearing her question Chara cleared her throat and handed over her robes and asked her put it on, explaining since they have been bedridden for two days they need some food and move Alicia's belongings to the knights quarters. Understanding why she stopped Alicia began undressing while her robe lay on the bed, quickly turning around in embarrassment Chara didn't dare to turn around. Finishing putting on her clothes and tying the shawl over her eyes they began heading towards the cafeteria where they were met by the students from before, making eye contact with Chara they yelled at them to sit with them. Complying Chara led Alicia towards the table and then went to grab to trays of food from the kitchen.

"Hi Alicia, we heard from one of the guards you and Chara had been in an accident. Are you okay?" One of the girls asked.

"We are alright, just some bruises for me, Chara protected me so she have more injuries." Alicia answered melancholic.

"Thats Chara for you, always headstrong." One of the boys explained. "She really is a good knight.

"Indeed she is." Alicia said to herself.

Returning with the trays Alicia and Chara ate slowly as Chara began talking with the students, asking them how their studies are going and so forth. Finishing their meal and conversation they headed towards Alicia's room where they gathered her clothes and personal belongings from Al-Asar, before closing the door and handing over their keys to a confused stewardess walking in the hallway.

Carrying Alicia's belongings Chara led them towards her lodging, walking for around ten minutes Alicia could sense Chara suddenly stopping before her, stopping herself she leaned towards Chara and asked her if everything is alright.

"Everything is good, when we arrive at the knights quarters, don't be alarmed by the knight captain, he is an eccentric man, but he is kindhearted." Chara asked.

Unsure of Chara's words she wanted to ask but suddenly stopped when she heard from far away a bellowing shout in front of them.

Chara was about to say hello but suddenly tensed up as she saw a dagger flying towards them, reacting quickly she dodged out of the way, hearing the loud voice clicking his tongue Alicia became confused about who was in front of them.

"Tsk. you weren't suppose to dodge." The voice said.

"Captain, is it really wise to throw a dagger at an injured person?" Chara asked, already irritated by the captain.

"You know, I have always said that scars give a person their personality." The captain explained as he bellowed a loud laugh.

"This is what I meant by an eccentric person." Chara whispered to Alicia, nodding her head in confirmation.

Regaining his composure he walked over towards Alicia and Chara and grabbed Chara's hand, shaking it and welcoming her back to their home.

"And who might this fair lady be? The captain asked as he looked past Chara and saw the frail looking body of Alicia.

"Captain Redway, this is Alicia Solic, I have been chosen as her personal knight." Chara explained, pride filled her words and happiness covered her tone.

"Hmm, you couldn't have chosen a liege with a little more meat on their body? I'm afraid she will be blown away by the wind." Captain Redway joked as his loud laugh echoed through the entrance.

"Perhaps, but I assure you, you will never meet a more compassionate person than Alicia." Chara explained, hearing her voice the captain stopped laughing and looked over towards Alicia.

"It seems like you have formed a strong band with Chara, well, a friend of Chara is a friend of me. My name is Reginald Redway and I'm the captain of the the knights in the city of Ruun." Reginald introduced himself and put out his hand to shake Alicia's, but he was confused when Alicia didn't shake it. Seeing the confused reaction of her captain Chara began laughing at him. Understanding she missed the signal she waved her hand in front of her until she located his hand, gently shaking it to the embarrassment of Reginald.

"Im sorry, I guess Chara haven't told you, but I am completely blind. Im so sorry for the trouble." Alicia explained while continuously shaking his hand.

Hearing Alicia's explanation Reginald joined Chara in laughing before continuing speaking. "Chara, you certainly chose an interesting person to follow." Reginald said. Dropping the hold on Alicia's hand he suddenly turned around and his loud voice was heard across the entire field.

"KNIGHTS! TODAY WE HAVE A NEW PERSON LIVING HERE AT OUR HUMBLE HOME, A FEAST IS IN ORDER!"