THE NEW YEAR came a few days after the winter star ended, and another semester has begun in the academy. antanasia and her friends had come back to their dorms and classes started again. It's been six years since she left obelian empire, and it seems that six of them will be graduating earlier than expected.

"oh my, i can't believe that we're graduating so soon," antanasia whined thinking about graduation.

royin looked at her confused. "isn't that a great thing that you're coming home after years of you being here?" royin asked the girl who was whining.

she kept whining. "shut up, you don't understand how tough it is being a princess and the future heir of the obelian empire It sucks," antanasia said as she crossed her arms.

akari chuckled. "well, i'm quite excited about graduating because I can be a knight now, and I'll be able to protect you and be by your side." akari spoke to them while smiling.

"i don't want to go home. it's a bit boring in the manor, not only that, once i go home, i'm sure someone will be pestering me once again." valkyria groaned as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"well, i do not mind going home. i can just practice swordsmanship or something." yua said as she ate her steak.

"how about you, royin? what are you going to do once you graduate?" akari asked the ravenette.

"i don't know... travelling, i guess?" royin unsurely spoke to them.

"if only you guys are allowed to go to stay in the palace for days, then i would have invited you four," antanasia said as she sighs.

valkyria smiled at this statement. "you can ask your majesty! i also want to go to the palace. i want to see if there's a handsome man there." she boldly said to the princess.

akari shook her head. "you're too honest that you just want to go just to see some handsome dudes there," she said as she sweatdropped.

"come on, i just don't want to go home yet. you got a big deal there, blueberry?" valkyria challenges the bluenette as akari just rolled her eyes on the purple-haired.

"hm, I'll try to ask Dad about it. I'll send him a letter and try to see if he'll allow it though i'm not sure if he'll let royin since he's a boy."

royin chuckled by this. "overprotective dad i see~" royin teased the girl.

"shut up, titan boy."

"oh yeah, have you guys heard the rumors?" valkyria spoke to them, which made them look at her. "what rumors?" akari asked.

"they said, some students are disappearing out of nowhere like someone is kidnapping them," valkyria explained to the group.

"oh, those rumors. they said, princess oegwauisa elise, vanished without a trace, some said she doesn't want to study anymore then fled, some said she got kidnapped so i'm not sure what's the real reason behind it," yua said as she ate another steak.

"isn't she studying to be a doctor? why would she just leave when she wanted to be a doctor? i even talked to her a few times. she gets pretty fascinated when we discuss doctor related." antanasia said to them as she got confused on why she would leave.

"well, it's either she got kidnapped by someone who wants magic or someone who just needs a doctor?" akari spoke in an unsure tone.

"why would they kidnap a princess when they just need a doctor? maybe it's because of her magic." royin declared.

suddenly, a group of girls walked and stayed in front of them also talking about the rumors. "they said they kidnap someone who has powerful magic. i won't be surprised when princess antanasia will be the next target."

antanasia was startled when she was mentioned as the girls continued. "obelian imperial family are also known to have their so-called mana-" the girl was cut off by the two girls (valkyria and yua) and royin with their glares at the girl. the group of girls started trembling when the three coldly stared at them as they decided to walk now and stop their gossip. It seems they intended to gossip near the crown Princess on purpose. antanasia looked down after listening to what the girls said.

who would benefit from kidnapping those students? probably her undead uncle, of course. since in the manhwa, the man lacked mana and a royal with rare healing abilities just nailed what the man needs.

"nas?" akari called for her, getting worried about her friend since she's in deep thought. "don't let it get to you, i'm sure whoever it is, they won't stand a chance against you." antanasia sighed. "i know," antanasia mumbled as she looked at her friend.

"and don't worry, we're here for you if we stay with you, you won't get kidnapped! unless you did something stupid," royin said to his friend trying to calm her.

"why would i get kidnapped when i'm not even allowed to use my mana yet, and don't call me stupid," antanasia said as she rolled her eyes.

"she's right, i don't think they'll kidnap her," valkyria said as antanasia was about to agree with her. "i think kidnappers don't take stupid children." valkyria finished her sentence.

"why you! will you stop making fun of me." antanasia angrily said to the purple-haired.

suddenly, akari went to ask her. "are you still wearing the bracelet the warlock gave you?" she asked her friend, ignoring the fight between the white-haired girl and the purple-haired.

"hm? oh yeah, i tried to take it off, but i can't seem to take it off, like it's kind of stuck." antanasia said as she showed her the bracelet trying to take it off but it won't budge.

"it's because there's magic inside of it," yua said to her.

"what's with the bracelet? it doesn't even look special." royin spoke as he got curious about the bracelet after yua said there's magic inside of it.

"well, a warlock gave this to me which is my friend named, lucas. he's also a playmate of my dear sister, and he said it's a protection. so if something happens to me, then he'll immediately know." antanasia explained to the ravenette who's now satisfied with the answer.

"i see, that's cool."

"is he by any chance, handsome?" valkyria asked the princess.

antanasia rolled her eyes then spoke. "try to imagine that he has black hair and red ruby eyes, kinda tall, the same age as me i think... maybe even older by a year?" she explained lucas' appearance to the purple-haired girl.

"i see, then i want to go to your palace and i want to meet this lucas," valkyria said excitedly.

"i also want to meet this lucas guy, if it's alright," royin said as he suddenly got interested in magic.

"yeah, no. royin is an exemption, but a grape girl with the attitude? i don't think so" antanasia spoke in a serious tone.

"what a selfish girl you are, hmp." valkyria huffs as she turns away from the princess.

"such a spoiled brat," antanasia said as the two of them started fighting again while the others just looked at them.

"okay, you two stop it already! if antanasia will have a chance to get taken, i think we should announce this to my father so that they're aware of her situation right now," akari said as the others approved of what she said.

"that's true, i suppose the royalties need a knight to their side in this situation, especially the ones who have magic so that no one will get kidnapped again," royin declared as he closed his eyes.

"this is stressful, i want to finish this and  go home~," yua said as she finished her fifth plate steak.

"you did nothing at all but eat, are you trying to make me poorer?" royin said as an irk appeared on his forehead.

yua put her finger close to his lips to shut him. "shh~ let me have my moment, dad." yua dramatically said.

"come to think of it, he does look like a dad in our group," akari said as she started snickering.

"probably because he looks old." antanasia and valkyria said at the same time, making royin get irritated.

"shut it, at least i'm taller than you four." toyin huffed as he crossed his arms.

valkyria rolled her eyes at him. "that's because you're a boy, and boys get taller rather fast," she mumbled.

"wah~ i'm full, thanks for treating us," yua said as she pats her stomach. he deadpanned at the sight. "do you use powers to make sure you don't get fat?" royin bluntly asked.

"no, i do not, now shut up." yua sassily said

"rude."

"anyway, once the semester is done, we'll be graduating now right? I'll try to ask my father about letting you guys visit the palace."  antanasia said as the four looked at her.

all of them looked at each other for a while then valkyria talked, breaking the silence around them.

"I'll study hard." valkyria said in a serious tone. they all looked at her then started laughing now as her face was full of seriousness.

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FINALLY GRADUATING, she can finally go home and she thanked god that she wasn't kidnapped with all the rumors happening. "wah! i must say the palace is so beautiful and big!" valkyria said as she started walking towards the entrance.

"it's so clean," royin said as he started looking at the corners of the palace.

"well, i sometimes get sick when it's too dusty," antanasia said as royin immediately looked at her. "what?! but you just cleaned my house when it was so dusty. " royin said to the white-haired girl.

"well, I was wearing a mask?" royin was about to put his finger up but didn't. "fair enough."

after the group walked on the entrance they saw the knights waiting for them. "blessing and glory upon the first star of the obelian empire." the knights greeted the imperial princess.

"so cool," yua said as she looked at the swords one by one.

"i feel special~," valkyria said as she started giggling and fanning herself. akari rolled her eyes at the purple-haired. "you're not even the one they're welcoming," akari spoke trying to get the girl in her senses.

"shut up blueberry, no one asked you."

"just saying the truth, grape girl."

before the two started arguing someone shouted from a distance from them. "your highness!" the red-haired guy shouted as he started running to them.

"is that the knight of crimson blood?!" all except akari shouted in excitement as they looked at felix who suddenly stopped after hearing his nickname.

'i thought they wouldn't know that name. i guess i was wrong...' felix thought as imaginary tears came out of his eyes.

"hello, felix. it's also nice to see you again." antanasia smiled at him as she walked to him and hugged him.

"your highness, we missed you," felix said as he also hugged her. then suddenly, their hug was cut off shortly when someone spoke behind the red lad.

"felix, get off my daughter." a cold voice said as the four shivered after hearing that voice which was antanasia's father. "yes, your majesty." he whimpered.

"welcome back, antanasia," claude said in a gentle voice to his daughter. antanasia smiled at her father then hugged him. "yes, i'm back dad!"