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  She’s definitely lost. It wasn’t the first time in fact. She had lost count of the times she lost in the middle of her work chasing after Cath who annoyed her while they’re working. Usually, it was during the time when students and staff were aplenty around. Now she’s actually alone.

  But she felt as if that’s about normal at that point. Maybe she’ll find someone later down the road. So she looked around as she strolled around the vast garden. It was a lovely garden with rose hedges and so many flowers that it’s a delight to find every new one at every corner. Flowerbeds of everything from the most common to those she felt she had never seen before.

  Some were common-looking yet sounded as if little nymphs humming from its translucent petals. Some have the most brilliant colour that it kinda hurts to stare at it for a long time. One particularly radiates warmth that she lingered around it for quite some time - couldn’t help but feeling something in her chest when seeing the beautiful red flower.

  Aediva honestly didn’t even realize that she had spent quite some time inside the gardens. The moment she looked up to the sky, it was already turning various hues of red and orange.

  “Hm… I gotta go back to the dorm now. Cath is going to freak out if he sees no dinner on the table” Aediva sighed, standing up and patting the dirt stuck on her skirt after sitting on the ground while looking around underneath the shrubs.

  Her platinum-blonde hair swaying in the air as the cold breeze made her shiver. She really hates being in the cold. Aediva wished she could say she missed Cath but that monster is not even warm in the slightest. Except for his fluffiness, he’s next to useless even as a walking warmer.

  Aediva walked down the garden and even after trying to get out of the garden, she felt as if she’s walking around in circles. Wait, this is supposed to be a simple garden not a maze!

  She frowned, looking around her and to no avail, she can’t even get out of the garden. Was she imagining that it’s a garden? She flinched.

  “Don’t tell me this is a magic garden?!” she said, panicked as she paced around. Tired and hungry, she finally stopped and sat down on the marble bench. Her legs tapping on the ground as she sighed at her predicament.

  “Dammit. Is this my wish coming true or something? No, wait. Whoever’s listening to my unsaid wish, do it to Cath, not me!” Aediva shouted to the air, only to turn frustrated at her own action.

  “Ugh” she groaned, looking around the garden with the darkening lighting. She gulped as she looked around, slightly trembling from the cold draft of wind billowing around. Trying her luck again, she went around the gardens and to no luck, still can’t find her way out. Is it just her losing her mind or did the garden just change again?!

  If she had ears like Cath it’s probably flattened close to her head right now. She’s scared!

  She kept walking down the path and everything looked the same to her that it was starting to make her turn hopeless at getting back to the Aval Dorm. She crouched at the side of the road, helpless at dealing her own screwed sense of directions.

  “Cath. Eden. Arthur, help me. Save me from this garden…” she murmured. She was about to curl into a ball at the side of the bushes when something shiny caught her attention. A tiny light glowing soft golden hue floating around her - the warm ambience from it enough to calm her down enough to start being curious about the tiny orbs floating around in her vicinity.

  “I wonder if it’s someone’s magic. Hah! If that’s the case then someone’s around! I can ask them the way back to Aval Dorm” Aediva chirped cheerfully as she followed the tiny orbs - or more specifically to where it’s concentrating to.

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  After a while of walking, she stopped. Those curious silver eyes looked ahead and met with the sight of a single large tree on a cliff. That said, how far has she walked to actually reach this sort of place in the academy. It’s time like this is when she actually wishes she could use a broom at the very least. An impossible wish for someone who has already been identified as a person without magic.

  Aediva let a sigh, noticing a lone soul sitting on the bench under the tree - his back facing her, unmoving. He probably didn’t notice her or simply don’t care - something that she well-noted a lot of students do when she’s nearby them.

  From the way he dressed, he seems like a student but that’s not the first thing that caught her immediate attention. It was the thing that’s on his head…

  The sun is almost hidden in the horizon, and yet over where the student is, it seems a little brighter. Maybe it’s just his golden hair that’s shining like actual strands of gold that’s reflecting the disappearing light.

  “Excuse me…” Aediva said, approaching the student who flinched the moment he heard her voice. Aediva paused a while before walking a bit closer towards the student who looked like he was spooked by a ghost. Those silver eyes widened when seeing the student stood up from the bench and turned around to face her.

  She almost forgot to close her mouth when seeing the horned being in front of her. A handsome young man with golden hair that’s grown past his shoulders. His eyes with the irises like swirling molten gold and the pupils of a snake. He towers over her like the first tower she encountered after she woke up the first day she was here. And those ebony horns… Wonder what kind of being he is to have such beautiful horns and looks?

  “Whoa… Are those real horns? That’s cool!” Aediva asked curiously, tilting her head as she looked up at the horns on his head - a wide intrigued smile on her face. The student blinked at her sudden question as she stepped even closer at him. Sensing the distress from the student, Aediva snapped out of it and stepped back, scratching the back of her head with a weak laugh.

  “... S-sorry, it’s the first time I see a student with horns up close… A lot of them wear the same golden-embellished uniform like you too. Though... none of them have horns as big as yours. Hehe” Aediva said, a little embarrassed at herself. The male student didn’t say anything. He stood there, looking a little dumbfounded as he stares at the female janitor.

  “Right. Actually, I was wondering if you could show me the way back to Aval Dorm. Or the Main Streets. I’m kinda lost…” the female blonde asked. The silent male student looked to the side - an act that Aediva mirrored. He pointed at the direction of the road, noticing that Aediva is busy looking at his hands instead of the direction he was pointing at. He pulled his hands back, frowning at Aediva who lost her attention a bit too quick for his liking.

  He pouted as Aediva laughed awkwardly before she stepped away - almost forgetting to thank the student.

  “Ah, I almost forgot. Thank you, Blackhorns! See you around” Aediva said, waving at the student as she ran away towards the direction that student pointed for her. She was starting to feel a little disoriented since all that she faced at the foot of the cliff was a ruined archway and she mindlessly walked into the archway. She honestly didn't really know what just happened but she's definitely somewhere more familiar now. The square right before the stairs leading to the Aval Dorm. She looked around, shrugging to herself but happy that she’s now out of the garden and back to where she’s familiar with. Upon realizing that she was probably that close to the Aval Dormitory in the first place, she felt ashamed.

  “I was this close to the dorm? Well, no wonder why that guy was confused as hell. Ah~ I’m such a scatterbrain when it comes to going around the place. Hm?” Aediva stopped in her tracks, seeing a familiar pair of black and honey blond mop in the distance - running towards her.

  “Oh? What’s this? You guys came to return Cath to me? How nice~” she grinned as the two raised their wands at her.

  “Oh shit. They’re really pissed. Wonder what the hell did Cath do to them? Gotta run” she murmured to herself as she ran towards the steps up the small hill where Aval Dorm is - laughing when Eden and Arthur’s flimsy magic attacks didn’t even reach her.

  “Oi! Stop running you damn janitor!”

  “Did you know how much food this thing stole from us?!” Both Eden and Arthur shouted. Aediva grinned, glancing to the side - swearing she saw something that glows golden passing through the woods nearby. She shrugged, evading the incoming attack from one of the boys before running into the dorm as her pursuers followed suit.

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