A few weeks after we returned from our trip, I was shaken awake by Leon, whose urgent tone conveyed the seriousness of the matter that required my immediate attention downstairs. Feeling my heart race and my adrenaline pumping, I quickly got dressed and hastily made my way down the stairs, where I nearly stumbled in my haste.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, I ended up in our lobby where I was met with an unexpected sight. Standing before me were the prince and princess, along with their mother, the second queen.

Having gotten there, I noticed Asia's face light up as soon as she saw me. She seemed ecstatic, and her eyes were sparkling with joy. I could tell she was happy because we hadn't seen each other since half a year ago.

Quickly assessing the situation, I fell to one knee with a flourish, trying to make it seem as grand and as welcoming as possible. "Queen Mary, Prince Hansel, and... Princess Asia."

In turn, Asia smacked me on the back of the head. "I told you to call me Asia! Just Asia!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing across the room. Then without warning, she grabbed me and lifted me from my kneeling position.

Her actions caused her mother to let out a small chuckle in amusement. "Fine 'Just Asia', what brings you here!?" I asked, my voice barely hiding a feeling of irritation.

"W-Well," she stammered, taking a step back. "I came to see you since you never do!" she answered, her tone accusatory as she crossed her arms tightly.

"Sorry," I said with a small sigh, my eyes downcast in an expression of guilt. "But at least I write you letters," I pointed out, tilting my head slightly to the side and offered a small, tentative smile, hoping to convey both my regret and my sincerity.

"Not enough! You've only sent me three! THREE!!?" she stressed, her hands slamming down on her hips in frustration. Taking a step forward, her eyes practically dug into me. "I'm tired of reading them all the time! I want to..." she trailed off, her eyes shifting to her feet. Letting out a deep breath her body relaxed as she spoke again, her voice soft and timid. "I want to talk to you in person," she finished while fidgeting with the bottom of her dress, nervously twisting it around her fingers.

Hearing her words I was visibly taken aback. But instead of satisfying her demands, I thought back to her words after I brought up the letters I sent her. "Uh? You read them more than once?" I asked, my voice tinged with surprise. At my words, her face turned a slight shade of red. I could see a blush creeping up from her cheeks all the way to her ears as she still held her head down.

"Indeed she does," her mother grinned, springing into our conversation. Which made Asia snap her head back toward her in one quick motion. The queen took notice and proceeded, bringing her hand up to her mouth as if to suppress a giggle. "She always carries one on her when I see her," she continued with a playful smirk. "Recently Asia kept nagging me about wanting to see you," she teased.

Turning my attention down toward Asia, I noticed her looking back at me with deep embarrassment written all over her face. Her eyes widened in shock and she quickly pushed me away. In a sudden wave of fury, she marched towards her mother, tugging on her dress in panic, burying her face in her stomach as she stammered out, "D-Don't tell him that!"

"Whoops, a slip of the tongue," chuckled the queen, her eyes shining with amusement. She knew that her little slip-up had caused quite a stir between her daughter and me yet couldn't help but find it all entertaining. With a sly grin, she then turned to make conversation with the other adults.

"Arata," Hansel called, his voice warm as he approached me. Extending his hand, his arm moved toward me with an inviting gesture. Showing a genuine smile, he spoke, "It's good to see you again."

Taking his hand, a smile formed on my own face as I met his gaze. "Likewise," I said, adding a small squeeze, expressing my excitement about our reunion. The two of us shared a brief moment of eye contact, and in that instant, I could tell there was a true sense of camaraderie between us.

Even the others around us couldn't help but stare at us with wonder, drawn in by the palpable connection between us that was impossible to ignore.

"Now," he mumbled, finally releasing his grip on my hand. "Arata," straightening himself, his demeanor became more serious. His voice grew in confidence as he spoke. "I challenge you to a duel!" he declared, his face filled with an intense and unwavering determination as if it had been building up inside him for some time. Holding his head high and his chest puffed out, he readied himself to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"Eh?" I exclaimed in confusion. I was certainly taken aback by this unexpected turn of events, unsure of how to respond and so were the people around me. Momentarily being at a loss for words, I managed to collect myself and answer, "Sure."

Moving out to the backyard, we grabbed practice swords and stood facing each other. "Go, Arata!" cheered Asia while the others watched with intrigue.

Hansel, with determination etched on his face, his body tensed and poised for combat, locked eyes with me. Raising his sword in anticipation of the battle ahead. "Ready when you are," I said.

As I spoke, I saw his brows furrow down in concentration. He let out a deep breath and his muscles tensed, poised for action. Suddenly, his body shifted and he made his move. My eyes widened as I witnessed his actions. He's learned internal mana control. I thought as I watched him quickly making his way toward me. I couldn't help but admire his determination and skill as I braced myself for his attack.

After a moment of intense focus, I sprung into action, my well-honed instincts pushing me forward. In one fluid motion, I brought my sword up to meet his strike. The satisfying clash of our wooden swords colliding echoed in the air. Seeing my actions he quickly pulled back. "You know how to use internal mana control?" he asked, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Yes," I answered a bit confused at his sudden actions, tilting my head slightly to the side. "Just how did you think I'd put up a fight?"

"Well," he said, a mixture of confusion and surprise evident on his face. "I expected you to use your magic. You know, like gravity or lightning," he explained, gesturing with his hands. "That's why I was all the more confused when you grabbed a sword."

It was then that I realized Hansel had no idea of my ability to use internal mana control. "Surprise," was the only thing I said as I readied my stance giving him enough time to react.

As I charged forward, Hansel sidestepped my attack and swiftly launched one himself. I quickly reacted by deftly deflecting it, then repositioned myself and slashed out horizontally. Despite my efforts, Hansel managed to dodge my blow by pushing his head back before swinging down at me with remarkable speed. Bringing my blade up in time I intercepted his attack, and so we began a cycle of continuous blocks and dodges that seemed to have no end.

Neither of us had the upper hand since I tried to match myself down to his skill. I could sense on his face that Hansel was determined to take me down, and I was equally determined to defend myself. The adrenaline pumping through my veins kept me focused and alert, my mind racing as I tried to anticipate every move he might make.

But soon, I noticed Hansel starting to tire. His attacks became more sluggish and his movements less precise. I knew that my chance to strike would come soon enough, and when he missed a step, it was all I needed. I stopped short, my wooden blade held just inches away from his face, and I knew that I had won this round.

"Great fight," I told him, showing a smile as I lowered my sword. "You're pretty strong," I pointed out, extending my hand for him to take.

"You lie," he said, his face full of disappointment as he looked up at me. Slowly reaching out he grabbed my hand and I pulled him to his feet. "I could tell you were holding back. The way your eyes tracked my every move and the ease with which you maneuvered yourself, despite your disadvantages... It was all just too calculated," He paused, his gaze intense as he peered at me. "You're capable of so much more than you're letting on."

He's right, I was holding back. I didn't mean to break his spirit though. As I was about to speak up, he looked at me once more, his face full of determination as he straightened his posture to show his resilience. "I guess that means that I'll just have to work harder to catch up, huh?" he continued, showing an unwavering smile that shone with a fiery spirit. "Look forward to a rematch," he added before confidently striding towards the rest of our companions.

Well, it looks like I didn't even need to say a thing. I thought as a smile escaped my lips. Following behind him I noticed the others cheering out.

We then moved back inside the house and toward the living room. "So," spoke Hansel on the way there, his eyes glinting with enthusiasm. "Is there a chance for me to learn lightning magic like Asia did?" he asked visibly embarrassed to have brought it up.

"Unfortunately, no," my response was immediate but negative. "You don't possess an affinity for wind so that will be impossible."

It was then that Hansel's expression fell in disappointment, letting out a sigh he only answered, "I figured."

Trying to lift his spirits, Theodore spoke up, his voice soothing and empathetic. "Don't stress about it too much," he said. "I have a wind affinity and not even I was able to do it. That's why I just focus on other things."

Hansel's expression brightened slightly, taking some comfort in Theodore's words. Finally, he replied with a small smile, "Yeah, you are correct."

"Come on," said Asia, hopping onto the two-seated couch with a bounce. Sitting up straight, she locked eyes with me and patted the seat beside her with a definitive gesture, beckoning me to join her. "Take a seat."

"Alright," said Hansel who walked past me and to the couch, taking his seat beside Asia.

"Not you!" she exclaimed, her words cut through the air like a sharp knife. Pushing him away, she made it clear that he wasn't welcome to sit there.

"You can sit here, Arata," said Nina, offering me a small smile. Her voice faltered, revealing a depth of emotion she seemed hesitant to express. However, before her words had a chance to reach me, Asia's sharp gaze darted toward us, making Nina shrink back in fear like a frightened child. Clearly, her icy expression was enough to send chills up Nina's spine and any desire to express herself faded away in an instant.

"Arata, this seat is free," Asia called after she managed to push Hansel off. Her voice firm as she looked at me with heavy pressure. "So where are you going to sit!?" she exclaimed, Nina too, looked closely, her eyes full of curiosity, making it clear they both wanted me to sit next to them.

"I guess I can sit with..." I spoke looking around, sounding uncertain. The empty seats didn't seem enticing enough as I didn't want to sit alone. My gaze scanned the room, searching for a companion. Suddenly, I spotted a lone wolf sleeping peacefully on one of the sofas. "Flare!!!" I exclaimed joyfully, my voice rising in excitement. I leaped towards the wolf, wrapping my arms around her large frame with eagerness.

As I held her, she responded with high-pitched whimpers, expressing every bit of happiness. While both Nina and Asia displayed annoyed expressions on their faces.

Shortly after we all settled in and took our seats, and we began conversing. I couldn't help but sit back comfortably as my hand found its way to Flare's head, which had nestled itself comfortably on my lap. I turned toward Hanna, who was beaming with enthusiasm.

"So, are you guys ready for school this year?" she asked, eagerly taking in everyone's faces. Her eyes darted from one person to another, searching for a hint of anticipation.

"That's right," said Theodore with a sudden realization, his eyes widening in excitement. "The princess, Nina, and I are starting school this upcoming autumn," he pointed out.

"Wait what!" exclaimed Asia. "Is Arata not coming?" she asked turning her head toward me.

"Unfortunately," Theodore spoke, showing a slight frown. "Arata is a year younger than us. So he won't be attending until next year," he finished, his shoulders slumping slightly, conveying his own disappointment.

"What?!" Asia's eyes widened as her voice rose with shock. Hansel's jaw dropped as they both turned to me in his disbelief, seeking confirmation.

"It's true," I said with a tilt of my head, showing a smile. "I just turned ten this summer," I exclaimed with a gleeful expression.

"N-No way," Asia stammered, her voice trembling as the words escaped her lips. Her face took a completely different expression, no longer the bright and cheerful one from before. Instead, a tinge of sadness washed over her features.

"But not to worry," I said with a reassuring smile. My eyes shone with excitement as I leaned forward in my seat. "Because I will still be attending school this year," I added. Hearing my words, Asia turned to me, her face lighting up with hope and curiosity, eager to hear the good news that I had in store.

"What?" Theodore's eyebrows furrowed. "I thought you could only attend if you were over eleven," he said, leaning forward with his hands clasped in front of him. "That and when your mana-growth capacity reaches its end," he spoke with narrowed eyes.

"Well, lucky for me it already happened," I said, resting my hands on my knees. Following my words, he cast me a look of confusion. "It's been a couple of days now that I haven't noticed a change in my mana growth. I was a little sad about it at first," I admitted, my eyes downcast briefly, "But I can't really complain since I have loads of mana to spare."

"Really?" Hansel's face crinkled with surprise as he raised an eyebrow. "At ten, huh?" he added, bringing his hand up to rub his chin as the news seemed to catch him off guard. He knew as well as I that the average age at which mana stops growing is eleven, but it could also happen either at ten or twelve. Leaning forward in his seat, with a puzzled look on his face he asked, "Okay, so now that's cleared up, just how do you plan on attending the Academy?"

"Let's just say, me and the director clicked well on our first meeting and so I sent him a letter," I explained. "And If he lives up to his promise, which I'm more than certain he will, I should be attending his academy this year."

"Ah!" Asia exclaimed with excitement, her eyes lighting up as she heard my words. Theodore and Nina also looked quite happy, grinning from ear to ear, eager to have me attend alongside them. However, Mia remained stoic, her expression unchanged. Despite noticing her lack of reaction, I chose not to speak up, knowing that she wouldn't appreciate being put on the spot. I'll have to have a talk with her later.

"Come now!" Asia said, her voice ringing with excitement as she sprang up from her seat. "I'm tired of sitting around," she continued, her tone filled with a sense of urgency. "Let's go have fun!"

"Urgh," I let out, feeling a bit tired. "We just sat down," I whined. Taking a long look at her I let out a sigh and asked, "Whatever happened to that Arel kid?" I asked, my voice rising in interest as I leaned forward.

"Oh him," she said, rolling her eyes and looking down at her perfectly-groomed nails before glancing back up at me. With an air of superiority, she flicked her hair back and spat out the words, "I ditched him. We're no longer friends. But forget about him now," she added, dismissing him as if he were nothing and showing a wide smile. "Let's go, I want to show you my progress."

"Alright," I said in resignation. Letting out a long, heavy sigh I reluctantly rose to my feet.