The nobles clapped excitedly. They've been looking forward to this event for quite some time. The life of an aristocrat wasn't calming. There was always something going on. They had to keep their guard up at all times. This event was a nice break for them...

Sitting on the front row of the main seats were the academy teachers. They will be the ones who decide who will pass and enter the academy, and who will be rejected.

There were only 10 participants. Half of the participants had already come out but only 1 had successfully passed.

Then it was Chester's turn. He casted his earlier water spell and also a spell that caused wood to cut itself.

The audience were amused and applauded. The teachers thought his spell wasn't spectacular but had potential. They were just about to tell Chester he passed when everything faded to black. It's as if their soul had fallen asleep....

But it only took two second for them to open their eyes and speak.

"Sir. Chester, we, unfortunately, have to reject you. You have potential but nothing special." One of the teachers informed Chester.

Chester's smile disappeared and was replaced with an enraged expression.

"This... This isn't right! I deserve to enter the academy! You can't do this! Le... Let me do it again! You must let me enter the academy!" Chester protested.

The nobles laughed quietly in mockery.

"What a feral boy..."

"Commoners possess such a foul mouth."

"Oh what a sad sight to see this is..."

For the aristocrats, the commoners are merely tools and playthings. They loved watching commoners, especially when they failed.

The guards soon took Chester away. But the sneers of the people didn't disappear.

After Chester was taken away, all the teacher's heads dropped before they opened their eyes.

The teachers were confused. Where's the boy? What happened?

The teachers ended up not saying anything. They were too embarrassed to ask Chester to come back.

Angelina was panting. There were ten teachers. She already had difficulty controlling two people, controlling ten took all her energy. Angelina suspected that if stood up, she would collapse immediately.

One more participant came out before it was finally Eric's turn.

Once he came out, everyone's eyes were drawn to him. There was something about him that was strange.

Angelina smiled excitedly. But from the corner of her eye, Angelina caught Harper's change in expression.

Harper sat a few seats beside Angelina. When Harper saw Eric, she seemed shocked. Her clenched hands were even trembling.

"...?" Angelina didn't understand. What? Why did she seem so shocked? Eric hadn't even casted a spell...

Angelina turned to look at Evelina, who was right beside her, and saw an indescribable smile on Evelina's face. At first glance, Evelina appeared normal. But if one looked closely, one could see there was something much more hidden behind the smile.

The smile seemed to hide conflictedness and yet sadness...?

' Why is everyone strange today...? ' Angelina wondered for merely a few seconds before directing her attention to Eric.

"State your name." One of the teachers asked Eric.

"Eric."

"Alright, you may begin." The teacher nodded.

A servant came out and placed a potted flower down before retreating back.

Eric stretched out his hand and indifferently casted a spell which caused the pretty flower to turn monstrous. The little flower grew extremely large and the petals bloomed to reveal a mouth that screeched loudly.

The nobles watching gasped with shock. They were amazed but also terrified. Some of the weak noblewomen even fainted from fright.

The teachers were even more shocked. They were already sure of Eric's abilities just based on how he could cast a spell without muttering the incantation, but now they were even more confident in the power Eric possessed.

After a few seconds of the monstrous plant's uncontrollable screeching, Eric finally casted another spell and the flower turned back to how it was before.

The servant from earlier came out once again and timidly replaced the flower with a withered one.

The people hadn't even finished processing Eric's first spell when he casted an even more spectacular one.

With a shine of light, the withered potted flower slowly regained it's color and bloomed.

Did he just bring a dead flower back to life...?

There was an immediate uproar among the audience. Bringing dead things back to life... This power was equivalent to the power of a saintess!

They had never seen such a powerful magic user! It was astounding and yet so frightening... It's truly deserving of praise!

"I have never seen such a thing!"

"Who is this magic user?!"

"What awe-inspiring power!"

"How could a little boy possess so much power..."

One of the teachers was confused. He was raised in the temple therefore he knew such power could only be possessed by a Sienna, but Eric couldn't possibly be a Sienna. Sienna's are the 'daughters' of the goddess so Eric being a Sienme was impossible.

Still... How could Eric have such abilities? This was strange...

Without hesitation, the teachers announced Eric's acceptance to enter the academy.

Once he heard the teacher's approval, Eric focused his gaze in a certain direction and smiled.

' I did it my lady... '

************

Back in the mansion, Marie finished helping Eric pack all his belongings. Eric looked down on his suitcase and a bitter feeling sneaked into his heart.

"Congratulations Eric. If you encounter any trouble in the academy, write to me immediately." Angelina smiled and handed the crying Marie a handkerchief.

"Goodbye you troublesome kid! I-I'll definitely n-not miss you! Y-you... You be careful there okay..?? Don't... Don't miss my amazing cooking!" Marie took the handkerchief and blew into it.

Eric stared at the loud sobbing maid and smiled. "I'll miss you too, miss Marie. Sorry for always making fun of you."

Eric turned to Angelina and hugged her.

"Oh." Angelina exclaimed in surprise before hugging back.

"I'll miss you m'lady. I'll do my best and work hard! I will not disappoint you! Please don't forget about me..." Eric tightened his arms.

"Of course. You need not worry about such a thing." Angelina chuckled softly.

*************

Eric hesitantly stepped on the carriage and looked back at Marie and Angelina.

' I won't disappoint you lady Angelina. When I come back, I'll be even more powerful and be able to protect you.' Eric swore in his heart before confidently stepping inside the carriage.

As Angelina watched the carriage go farther and farther, she felt prouder with every passing second.

"Your grace."

Angelina turned around to face Serina. Serina made eye contact with her and pointed at the direction of Angelina's bedroom with her chin.

"...!" She understood almost immediately.

*************

Angelina entered her room quietly. It was currently unlit therefore the only source of light was the soft moonlight coming from the balcony.

The balcony doors were made of glass hence Angelina could see that there's a lonely looking figure on the balcony.

Once she opened the balcony doors, Angelina was met with a warm smile.

"Did you miss me, Lily?" A cold yet welcoming voice greeted her.

"Your majesty? I mean... Charles?" Angelina was dumbfounded. "Why... Why are you here?"

"Well... It's my birthday." His tone sounded happy yet sad...

"What... Oh. I'm sorry. I haven't recovered the memories of those years..." Angelina felt guilty.

"No no. It's alright. I understand." Charles smiled. But his disappointed smile only made Angelina feel even worst.

"What-what would you like for your gift? I'll be sure to get it!" Angelina quickly said.

"Lily does not need to give me anything. Just spending my birthday together with you is already the best gift you could give me." Charles held Angelina's hand while his other hand held a plate with a slice of cake.

"Do you not wish to come inside?" Angelina nervously retracted her hand.

"...." Charles looked down at his empty hand before answering, "no, here is alright." He sat down on the balcony floor.

"What? But isn't it cold here?" Angelina didn't agree but sat down with him anyway.

"We used to celebrate my birthday just like this. We would sit on the balcony and you would sing me birthday songs." Charles placed the plate with the slice of cake down.

' I sang songs for you? I sincerely apologize for having you hear such unbearable singing on your birthday... ' Angelina pitied Charles.

"Lily, can you sing me a song for my birthday? Any song would do, please?" Charles pleaded with eyes full of expectations.

"But I really do lack singing..." Angelina was reluctant.

"Please? For me, Lily's voice is the most beautiful." Charles claimed.

"Um... Fine. Prepare your ears for torture..." Angelina sighed defeatedly.

Angelina sang awkwardly to Charles. Her singing was so terrible that even she wanted to rip her ears off. But Charles looked extremely happy so Angelina continued to sing.

When it was finally over, Charles happily clapped his hands.

"Haha yeah..." Angelina tried to laugh off her embarrassment. She paused before adding, "Happy birthday Charles."

"Thank you, my dearest Lily." Charles's ears flushed red as he blew out the candles.

' It's been so long...' Charles thought to himself.

After he was taken away, Charles had to spend his birthday at lavish banquets, where the aristocrats would fight among themselves with words. They would wish him happy birthday, but Charles knew they didn't mean it. They only cared about themselves and he understood this well.

It was always the same cold, lonely birthday that would await him.

He desperately missed his Lilith.

He would even take a slice of cake out to the balcony of his room, and sing birthday songs all alone before blowing out the candles by himself, while trying to envision the smiling face that would sing for him.

But now... The person was right beside him....

His Lily is sitting right beside him...

It's no longer just a dream...

"Has anything big happend while I was gone?" Charles asked with a worried face.

"Well..." ' Evelina tried to frame me for having an affair, Carol died, Alice's brother was savagely murdered...'

Angelina explained everything that happens to Charles. She noticed that the more she spoke about the tragic events, Charles's face would darken.

" How dare she... Lily, I really want to lock that heartless woman up and kill her for you!" Charles professed with resentment and anger flashing in his sapphire eyes.

"That would be a nice show to watch but I would like her to die an even more painful death... I want her to suffer slowly..." Angelina sneered mischievously.

"Then I'll help you Lily! I'll be sure to let that woman suffer the cruelest death! Everyone who has hurt you will not escape." Charles planned wickedly with Angelina.

They laughed together before Angelina decided to mention something.

"What is it that you've been trying to tell me?"

"...." Charles naturally knew what she was speaking of. He seemed very hesitant, perhaps even scared...?

He's been trying to tell her something for the past months. But he ended up never gathering the courage. This caused Angelina to feel uneasy.

"I was unwilling to tell Lily about this because I knew Lily would be very upset. But Lily deserves to know..." Charles lowered his head down.

"It's about your parents Lily..."

"..." Angelina froze. She had always wondered who her parents were. She had almost no memory of her mother and absolutely no memory of her father.

"Your father... He abandoned your mother when you were merely a toddler." Charles tried to explain to her as slowly and gently as he could. He didn't want her to lose her temper.

"And?" Although she did feel a hard knock on her heart, Angelina was still calm.

"Lily... your father is Duke Skyler."

"...."