After some time, Nino walked inside the mansion, flustered making her steps quick, with Lala and Karina tagging along from behind, looking confused. Hiro watched them go in and chuckled, while Sakura covered her face with both hands, lowering her head as she whispered to herself, "I thought my son was a matchmaker, but he just ruined the mood..."

Hiro glanced at her, smiling as he slowly turned back, a slight worried look crossing his face. Behind them, Ray held Kai's collar, questioning, "Why didn't you knock?!"

But Kai just looked away, the smile on his lips never leaving.

After Ray calmed down, he wheeled Kai ahead inside the mansion, heading towards Kai's room, still a bit grumpy. Kai looked at him, smiling, as he raised his right hand, holding a picture. Ray glanced at Kai's hand and was about to brush it off when he noticed the picture. He stopped and snatched it away from Kai's hand, scanning it carefully.

After a brief moment, Ray finally asked, "How?" His voice was low as he squatted down in front of Kai, placing the picture right in front of him. Ray was flustered, asking, "When did you make this?" His voice was low, pointing at the picture he held. It was a picture of Ray and Nino in the same position, but the only difference was that both of them were looking at each other affectionately.

Kai just smiled, recalling what had happened earlier.

On their way back, Kai had noticed some movements in Ray's carriage and asked Eva to show him what was going on. As Eva displayed the screen, Kai was surprised but slowly smirked, asking Eva to close it back.

In the present, Kai thought to himself, “I can't honestly tell him that I was watching him and Nino get all close to one another.” He shook his head, and his voice came through the comms to Ray, saying, "Just some party tricks. I thought you would like it, but I guess not. Just burn it, alright?" He smiled as his voice said so.

Ray looked over the picture one more time before he put it inside his coat. Turning back, he took control of Kai's wheelchair as they made their way to the rooms. On the way, Ray said, "We are not talking about this again, alright?"

Kai just smiled underneath, nodding in agreement.

After dinner, everyone had changed into their casual wear. Nino had returned to her usual self, but she still pouted a bit, annoyed that Kai hadn't knocked before entering the carriage. Everyone was laughing in that fun moment, as the maids took back the dishes.

Just then, Nino stood up and asked Ray to stay in his seat for a while before leaving the dining hall. Everyone else remained seated, curious about what Nino was up to. Around that time, Kai's voice came through Ray's earpiece. "You still remember what we discussed, right?"

Ray froze for a moment, then looked at Kai with a confused expression and slowly nodded. He wanted to ask something but remained silent.

After some time, Nino returned with a basket in her hands, followed by the royal knights, who were asking her to stop. Nino quickly approached Ray and said, "I told you I would let you try my cooking, right? So, I made some cookies for you. I hope they taste good." She looked at Ray with affectionate eyes.

Ray was so touched that he instantly grabbed Nino's hand. "I'm sure they'll taste great! After all, you made them for me with love and care, right?"

They were lost in their own world until Kai's projected words floated between them: “Only for Ray?”

Reading the words, they both let go of each other's hands as Nino, flustered, said, "Why not you try them too, Kai? And everyone here as well! I would love to know what you all think."

Hiro and Sakura agreed, as did the others, but the royal knights interrupted, saying, a bit stammering on the words, "M-M-Maybe... having sweets after dinner will upset their stomachs... r-right?"

Nino slowly nodded, feeling a bit down, but Ray insisted. "It's fine to have a few, right?" He took the basket, opened it, and found many animal-shaped cookies inside. Kai leaned forward, impressed by the cookies, as Ray took two out and handed one to Kai. "Be grateful you get to eat Nino's home-made cookies, Kai," he said.

Kai smiled and nodded as he took the cookie. Ray quickly ate the cookie, as Kai too brought the cookie towards his mouth, about to take a bite when he suddenly felt like he had been hit by lightning. Quickly pausing, he looked around, wondering what had happened. Thinking it was just his imagination, he tried again and felt the same sensation. But this time, he saw all the images of his life; from his old world and in the current.

"What's happening...?",

Kai wondered, even asked Eva if it was her doing. Just then, he noticed the knights murmuring among themselves, with a complex expression, looking at Ray with fear in their eyes.

Kai looked over at Ray, who was happily chewing the cookie. Then he looked back at the knights, and a thought struck him. “No way,” he thought, looking at the cookie in his hand and asking Eva to check its ingredients.

Just then, there was a loud thud. Kai looked next to him and saw Ray unconscious, his head on the table, his face turning purple.

Everyone started to panic, calling out to Ray. Kai was stunned, watching the chaos unfold when he noticed the knights face-palming. He wondered, when Eva's report came up with a red screen. And as Kai read it, his eyes slowly revealed an understanding of what had just happened.

Hiro urgently called for the family physician, a middle-aged man in a white coat, who rushed in upon hearing about the Crown Prince's sudden unconsciousness. After a thorough examination, he emerged, exclaiming,

"Who dares to poison the Crown Prince in the Archduke's mansion!? This is such a dangerous poison! Only with the holy water could it be taken care of! Good thing I had just visited the church and had some holy water with me before you called me here!! If I didn't came rushing from..."

While the physician kept complaining, Sakura walked towards the room where Ray was resting, checking on him along with the rest as Hiro tried to calm the physician. Kai was in a corner, looking at the cookie he held with uncertainty. He wheeled himself towards Hiro and the physician.

Noticing Kai, Hiro turned to him. "Everything will be fine, Kai. Ray will be alright." he said reassuringly.

The physician, seeing Kai for the first time, approached him and asked, "Did you see any suspicious person in the kitchen?" Hiro tried to calm him down, but Kai held out the cookie towards the physician, causing both Hiro and the physician to look at him in confusion.

The physician glanced at Kai's expressionless face and then at the cookie he held. Tears started to form in the physician's eyes. "You're giving it to me?" he asked. Kai nodded, and the physician's eyes teared up even more. "You're just as kind as your mother..." he sniffled, taking the cookie and expressing his gratitude, as he slowly began to eat it.

But suddenly, the physician froze and collapsed to the floor, unconscious, his face turning pale just like Ray's. Hiro was shocked as Kai's projected words came towards him:

“As expected. It's Nino's cookies.”

Hiro, still in shock, asked, "What do you mean by that?"

The knights stepped forward, and the female knight began to speak. "Let us explain," she said, as her explanation began.

Apparently, Nino was so excited to come here that she started learning how to make cookies. With the help of the royal chef, she managed to make some. And when Maximus saw them, he asked her to give him some, saying he wanted to try his daughter's cooking. Nino happily gave him some, and Maximus took a bite. But as soon as he did, he fell unconscious.

Chaos took over the palace, with the emperor being in danger. The royal physician was immediately summoned, as he checked and treated Maximus with the holy water. Maximus woke up after two hours. When asked what he ate, he recalled Nino's cookies. It was then discovered later that, although Nino's cookies looked delicious, they were indeed very poisonous. No one knows what he mixed in, since she closed the kitchen when she made them.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

It wasn't intentional; it's just that Nino's choice of ingredients and cooking, both are at the lowest point in cooking. Maybe even below that level? Well, despite knowing this, Maximus just told Nino that the taste was so good that he saw heaven for once. So, he claimed he fell asleep back then, not unconscious.

Now, in the present, a heavy silence hung around them, no one sure what to say. The female knight further continued, "His majesty asked us to take care of the cookies on the way. Throwing them away or feeding them to the monsters. But since the princess held the basket all the time, we weren't able to do anything..."

Kai sighed, projecting words: “Let's make sure she doesn't know about it, and for her to not enter the kitchen for some time.”

The group exchanged glances, trying to process the information. Hiro then sighed too, saying, “I'll make sure to ask Celestina for Nino to get proper guidance if she wants to learn cooking."

The knights nodded in agreement. But despite the gravity of the situation, a small chuckle escaped from the knight at the last, easing the tension slightly as he apologized for laughing. They knew Nino's intentions were pure, even if the results had been disastrous.

Kai, looking at the basket of cookies he held, couldn't help but think about Nino's dedication and the lengths she went to just to make something special for Ray. He decided to keep the cookie as a reminder of her effort, however misguided it might have been.

With a shared sense of resolve, the group turned their attention back to the physician, taking him to the guest room to get treated. The night had taken an unexpected turn, but together, they managed it somehow.

Hiro and Kai entered the room where Ray was resting. Nino, concerned, immediately asked, "What did the physician say? Will Ray be alright? "

Hiro hesitated, realizing he hadn't thought of an explanation to give Nino without hurting her feelings. He knew she would feel terrible if she found out it was her cooking that caused Ray to fall unconscious.

Kai, however, remained calm. Projected words materialized towards Nino:

"It's my fault. Remember when Ray chased after me? I bought some street food for Ray to calm him. I did buy a bit of all kinds of food, so..."

Nino read the words and slowly understood. "Just be careful next time," she said, completely unaware that Kai had covered for her. Hiro sighed in relief, slowly patting Kai on his shoulder.

Later, they were informed that Ray would wake up after some time. By then, it was already midnight, marking the start of the festival. Nino was slightly sad that Ray wouldn't be able to witness the beginning of the festival, but she couldn't ask to delay it.

After ensuring that Ray was assigned a maid to look after him, they all stepped out of the mansion, with Elysia and Sakura staying back to dress up for the ritual, as the rest went ahead. Behind the mansion, after walking a bit, they were faced with a vast, serene lake. Further ahead lay the forest where the magic beasts resided, along with pillar surrounding the range of the forest. The pillars, with unique crests stood tall, barrier visible, protecting the area from the magic beasts inside the forest.

The atmosphere was serene as the group gathered by the vast lake, the moonlight casting a mystical glow on the water. As everyone was praising the celestial atmosphere, a cheerful voice came to them from behind.

"We are here!"

As everyone looked back, they saw Sakura and Elysia, now dressed in flowing white gowns adorned with silver threads, stepped forward. The two were looking very graceful, like a other-worldly glow flowed around the two. The girls began to praise the two, saying how beautiful the two looked, slowly turning into a cheerful conversation among them. Hiro smiled at them, as he carefully stepped towards the lake. As he stood to the closest, he looked back at Kai, saying;

"Watch me carefully, alright?"

Kai nodded, as Hiro lifted his arm forward, his eyes began to glow, the air around them taking on speed. Everyone turned towards him, as the water in the lake began to glow, a small portal like gate opening above the serene lake. Except for Hiro and Sakura, everyone was stunned, as through the gate, a bowl, inscribed with ancient sacred scriptures floated before them. The bowl was filled with pristine water, and at its center floated a flower emitting a soft, celestial glow.

Hiro quickly took it, as he brought it to Sakura and Elysia, softly whispering to the two. "Goodluck!"

Sakura nodded, slowly turning to Elysia with a gentle, encouraging smile. "Alright, Eli. Just like we practiced, okay?"

Elysia nodded, her excitement mingled with a hint of nervousness, reflected in her sparkling eyes. Slowly, the two sat in front of the bowl, each placing their hands above it. Within moments, their hands began to glow softly, and they closed their eyes in concentration. Two droplets of water, shimmering with an inner light, floated from the bowl, settling in their palms.

Sakura and Elysia stood gracefully, opening their eyes to see the droplets of water hovering above their hands. Elysia looked at Sakura in awe, her emotions a mix of excitement and trepidation. Sakura's serene smile provided comfort.

As Elysia's water droplet began to waver, she grew anxious. But Sakura's calm, soothing voice reassured her, "It's fine Eli. Slowly, breathe in and out, and concentrate."

With a deep breath, Elysia regained her composure, and the two continued the ritual. They lifted their hands towards the sky, aligning the droplets with the twin moons. The moons began to shine more brightly, their light amplifying the glow of the droplets. Suddenly, the entire sky was covered in a brilliant light, enveloping everything in a radiant glow as everyone closed their eyes to it.

The water droplets began to glow even more intensely, and when the glow finally subsided, the droplets had transformed into a beautiful, radiant pink hue. Slowly, as everyone re-opened their eyes, they witnessed the once twin moons had now merged together, revealing a single moon that cast a celestial glow all over the land. The people of the duchy, witnessing the merging of the moons, began to pray in reverence and awe.

Kai watched intently, his eyes reflecting the celestial glow of the droplets. He was intrigued and captivated by the beauty and precision of the ritual. His usual smirk softened into an expression of genuine admiration.

Lala stood beside him, her hands clasped together in silent prayer. Her eyes were wide with wonder, and a serene smile graced her lips as she witnessed the magical transformation.

Ana, full of youthful excitement, could barely contain her energy. She watched the ritual with awe, her eyes sparkling like the droplets in Sakura and Elysia's hands. She whispered to herself, "It's so beautiful!"

Karina, standing a little further back, was deeply moved by the ceremony. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and a warm smile spread across her face. She felt a deep connection to the ritual and the unity it brought to everyone present.

Nino, still feeling a bit down about Ray's absence, found solace in the beauty of the ritual. As she watched Sakura and Elysia, her eyes softened, and a gentle smile appeared. The celestial glow illuminated her face, and for a moment, she felt a sense of peace.

Sakura and Elysia slowly brought their hands back down and walked towards the lake, sitting beside it. Gently, they allowed the water droplets to fall into the lake. For a moment, a profound silence enveloped the scene.

Then, the lake began to shimmer, the point where the droplets entered spreading out in mesmerizing shades of blue and pink. The glow extended to the surrounding trees, their leaves transforming into brilliant cherry blossoms. A gentle breeze carried some of the cherry blossoms into the air, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

As the people of the duchy witnessed this enchanting cheery blossoms fly in the sky, they held their hands together in reverence, looking up at the now single moon and offering their prayers. The atmosphere was filled with a sense of peace, unity, and awe, as the beauty of the ritual connected everyone in a moment of harmony and spiritual reflection.

The celestial glow from the lake illuminated the faces of Sakura and Elysia, their expressions serene and content. The ritual of the Moon Festival had not only transformed the landscape but also touched the hearts of all who witnessed it.

Everyone stood in awe, looking at the beautiful cheery blossom, flying all around in the sky. “It’s been a while I saw cheery blossom…,” Kai thought to himself, as a cheery leave left on his palm of his hand.

A memory flashed through his mind; of himself, standing under a cheery tree in his previous world, when suddenly someone fell over from the tree. Swiftly enough, he caught the person before the head hit ground, as he noticed it was a girl, all covered in cheery blossoms.

But the moment was shortly cut, when Kai, in the present noticed something strange. Everyone around his stood froze, as if the time itself had stopped for them, the surrounding around him giving off an other worldly vide, as he looked around until his eyes slowly began to widened with what he saw in front.

Around the same time, Kris stood by the mansion, gazing at the cherry blossom-filled sky. But the serene moment was interrupted by the sound of a bell ringing. Kris quickly made his way towards the source of the sound.

Inside a room filled with papers, three crystals were placed on a table. One of them was glowing with a bell ringing sound. Kris hurried towards it and touched the crystal. A panicked voice of a man came through, "H-hello, sir Duke! It seems urgent!"

Kris responded calmly, "Sorry but the duke is not present at the moment. I am the house butler, Kris. Is there something to inform his grace?"

The voice on the other side panicked even more, "Sorry but it's very important! I am calling from the south guard, the entrance to the duchy! The situation here is very serious!"

Kris, sensing the urgency, asked, "Did something happen?"

"The orb placed here has started to glow very brightly!" the voice responded.

Kris immediately understood what that meant. The orb glowing indicated that a calamity-class beast was lurking around the duchy. Quick on his feet, Kris replied, "I will inform the duke." As he was about to walk away, the other two crystals started to ring as well.

Kris was taken aback but answered them one after another. After he was done, his face turned pale with fear. He quickly ran towards the exit door, his mind racing with thoughts from the calls; all saying that the orbs placed on the three sides had started to glow. It was a significant threat coming from three corners of the duchy.

Quickly making his way, only one thought remained in his mind.

“All three orbs began to activate... So, does it mean there are three calamity beasts making their way towards the duchy!? This is bad... Such an issue at the beginning of the festival is not good!”

-End of Season 1: The Beginning Of The END