Yume Valenz (Point Of View)

"Please don't kill me!" I screamed, huffed, and sweated, waking up from a nightmare. It took me some time while dazing off, to notice that the ceiling of my room is quite different. "Why is the ceiling so low?"

Similarly, I felt that the bed's mattress is a little stuffy than usual. I had this feeling of a familiar yet unfamiliar vibe. Like some kind of Deja Vu. "Oh!"

The school vacation ended and currently, I'm inside my room in the academy dormitory.

"But I think I'm still forgetting something." Suddenly I remembered the incident that transpired last month. "The black-haired Sir!"

Remembering it made me get up from the bed, then noticed when I glanced outside through the window, that I woke up earlier than usual. Even so, I grabbed my bell and rang it three times.

Clang clang clang...

A few seconds passed and someone knocked at the door. "Milady, this is Yiyi."

"Come in."

Clink.

"Good mor—Mi-Milady! A-Are you alright?" Yiyi said. Seeing my face full of sweat made her panic. She quickly took a towel from my drawer and used it to wipe my face. "Please tell me if you are hurting anywhere, Milady."

Seeing how worried Yiyi, made my heart relaxed. I grabbed her shoulder and said, "I'm fine now, Yiyi. Thank you."

Sniff — "Milady, I'll always be on your side."

"Phew... Now I calmed down, please help me prepare for my bath. I desire to go to school early."

"Yes, Milady." She filled up the bathtub with water, then she took a device from our stash, dropping it into the tub.

It was a heating device. An invention from the Xan Kingdom that can be used to heat things like water by providing it with a magic stone. It's an item worth tens of thousands of golds, expensive enough to make a noble bankrupt.

Even though a person has enough money, the device has a limited quantity. Which means that you wouldn't be able to buy it without a proper connection.

Weird enough, a few years ago, someone dropped this device in front of our mansion gate on my birthday, leaving a note that says 'From your loyal Fan'.

This is why, when I learned that someone from the Xan Kingdom enrolled in the Royal Academy, I was excited, wanting to ask him if he knew someone there that is named Fan. So that I can at least gift him something in return, as gratitude.

"The water is warm enough, Milady."

She helped me undress as I immersed myself into the bathtub. "Phew... How relaxing..."

Blub blub blub blub blub...

"Milady! You should not play with water using your mouth," she said, scrubbing my arm with a towel.

"Humph! Yiyi, you are becoming like my private teachers."

"But I won't punish Milady for doing this—"

"Alright. Alright, I'll stop. So let's not mention them anymore."

"You seem a little bit excited today, Milady."

"N-Not really." I don't know if what she said is true, or somewhere deep in my heart was affected, so I submerged myself in the water to release my foolish thoughts.

***

Neeeigh!

The horses slowed down and the brakes were applied until our carriage entered into a full stop.

"Milady, have a good day," my bodyguard and my coachman said, bowing down their heads as I entered the Royal Academy.

While walking to the main building, I noticed that I might be the first one to enter today. Since I arrived 2 hours ahead before the classes start. I only encountered patrolling guards along the way.

Ba-dump...

My heart skipped a beat when I thought of meeting again with Sir Ryu. Aside from inquiring about the person named Fan, I wondered if there are similar things we have in common apart from our hair color.

I was excited and at the same time, I was scared. Will he be a friend, or will he also resent me like what the others did?

For now, I sat down on a bench and opened a small book from my pouch. The book is titled 'Fly into the Horizon'.

This is my favorite book and is about a person that was hated by everyone but still followed her dream to be able to fly into the sky. Even with all the obstacles that were laid down by those who want her to fail, she didn't surrender and kept trying until her goal is achieved.

For some unknown reason, It warmed my heart so I treasured it deeply to the point I kept reading it over and over.

Ding-Dong-Ding... Dong...

"Oh my... It's the school bell," I said, carefully shoving my book into the pouch. The bell indicates that there are only 15 minutes left for classes to start. So I hastily went to the building of the freshmen.

Chatter... Chatter... Chatter...

"Room F-1," I mumbled, reading the sign at the top of the classroom door.

When I looked at the announcement board earlier, I saw that Sir Ryu is assigned to Room F-1. It was the room where the lowest-ranked people were assigned. The disadvantage of this is the budget allocated for this batch is also the worst.

I slowly opened the door and looked for a person with black hair. It only took me around 5 seconds to see Sir Ryu in the corner end of the room.

Without realizing that I ended up staring at him for quite some time because I was mesmerized by the fact that the sunlight that flowed through the window made a wonderful spectacle.

A scene that is like I was looking at a beautiful painting. A gentleman with black hair, relaxing on his chair, crossed armed, and a manly physical expression as he glanced at the wide field through the window while listening to the songs of the birds, nostalgically. The fact that there is no other person near him made it looked more magnificent.

A masterpiece!

Ba-dump... Ba-dumb...

"It's beautiful," I mumbled, forgetting the reason I was here in the first place. I stood at the spot engraving the picture I saw in my heart.

Without warning, Sir Ryu suddenly looked at me, our eyes locked at each other until a lady initiated and asked, she said, "Greetings, Lady Yume. Is there something we can help you with?"

A shiver went down my spine. I was embarrassed, the reason I panicked and said, "No... P-Pardon me, I was just looking around." I turned around without second thoughts and left.

I quickly returned to my classroom, shoving my head on a table, I covered myself with both arms as my face turned red. It was so hot that I felt the blood circulated inside me.

"Huff..." I exhaled.

"Alright everyone, we will be starting our class now."

During the lecture, I was so occupied with thoughts that I haven't been listening at all.

Then lunch break came and everyone went their way as usual. Friends dine together, and other wealthy nobles went to their private quarters to eat and rest.

I was on my way back to my carriage when I saw Sir Ryu walking towards the high-class restaurant. An idea came to me, so I followed him.

Sir Ryu went into the restaurant and ordered, as usual, when I attempted to go near him, my nervousness gets ahead of me, preventing me from talking to him. With no other choice, I just decided to sit at another table, to be precise, the one behind him.

Usually, I should have been eating in my private quarters, but this unexpected situation made me eat here for the first time since I studied in this academy. So I just ordered anything I think would taste good.

"Sigh... Failed to ask him again," I mumbled.

Finally, he finished eating, so I left first and waited outside the restaurant in one corner. When I saw Sir Ryu leave without noticing me, I just followed him. Hoping some coincidence would happen, allowing us to speak to each other.

Continuing my pursuit, I have been following him for a while when he suddenly decided to stop walking. I was anxious so I also stopped. It was kind of weird since he didn't do anything else before walking again.

Then I followed.

Then he stopped and walked again.

Then I followed again.

I was getting tired since his walking pace is a little faster because of our leg difference. I need to do two steps forward every time he moves one step just to limit our distance.

When I noticed that he started to run, I panicked. Making me run too. This is where I got surprised when a guy like him suddenly screamed.

"Kyaaaaa!" Ryu shouted.

In return, I also shouted, "Kyaaaaaaaa!"

He quickly turned around and asked. He might have noticed that I am kind of stalking him which made me a little embarrassed. "I-I'ts me Sir Ryu."

"L-Lady Yume?" He sighed. Or he might not have noticed. Though I was so happy that he remembered my name and also at the same time I can't remove in my mind the expression he had just now.

"Pfffft! Hahahahaha." Making me burst out laughing. "Pfffft! Hahahaha."

"...My Lad—Princess Yume," he teased.

Oh my gosh. I don't know why, but Sir Ryu kept calling me a princess. Truthfully, it made me happy but also scared that other people might criticize him for hearing this.

What shocked me more is knowing that he knew about it, but still insisted to call me a princess.

I was confused and asked why, but he quickly changed the topic, he said, "Why are you following me?"

This is when an unwanted variable suddenly appeared. I even had no time to get embarrassed.

"My... My... My... Who do we have here?" someone interrupted from a distance.

"Rosie!" I said, frowning my forehead. "Why are you here?!"

Now, I lost the chance to ask Sir Ryu for the person named Fan.