The Phantom Order, the Duke, and the Emperor were all busy working and investigating the recent incidents involving dark magic and the Xayahs.

By the time the post-exam break approached, the number of students at the Academy started to dwindle little by little, and by the fifth day, only a few students could be seen walking around the classrooms.

Anastasia was no exception. The moment the post-exam break started, she had already scheduled her trip home, which led the other Student Council members to do the same.

A maid placed a cup of fresh tea in front of her as she smiled.

"Thank you, Marie," Anastasia said.

The maid, named Marie, smiled back.

"You're welcome, Princess." Marie immediately stepped back to give her some space.

She was in the palace garden, enjoying a moment of peace as she smiled at the person sitting across from her.

"I'm surprised you visited today. You're usually inside your room, stuck there all day at this time," she remarked.

Ignis glanced at her briefly as he reached for a cookie from the tray in front of them.

"My father had business to take care of with the Emperor," he replied.

Anastasia chuckled, sipping her tea.

"Auntie's death anniversary is coming up..." she started.

Ignis's thumb caressed the handle of his teacup as he stared at the tea, which reflected his face and the emotion in his eyes.

Every year, when the Grand Duchess's death anniversary approached, everyone in the Grand Duke’s manor wore black in tribute to the late Duchess. Because of this, Ignis was always reminded of the day and the events that had taken place years ago.

"What are you planning to do?" Anastasia asked, her voice tinged with concern and curiosity.

"I don't know. I'm sure my father will be busy with work, and the manor servants will be occupied with the evening banquet," Ignis responded.

Anastasia looked at him worriedly.

"I'm sure you're not attending. Will you be staying here again?"

The sweet taste of the cookie he had eaten earlier slowly turned bitter under Anastasia’s worried gaze. Her words sank into his mind as he processed them carefully.

Anastasia looked down at her tea when a sudden idea struck her.

"Oh, I know!" She clapped her hands, catching Ignis’s attention.

"What is it?" Ignis asked, wary of Anastasia’s enthusiasm.

The princess grinned.

"Since you don’t have any plans for the next few days, how about we go to Laguna Island?" she suggested.

Ignis raised an eyebrow.

"What? For what?" he asked helplessly.

"Well, it’s our school break, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the others. Why don’t we take a small trip?" she said excitedly.

It had been a few days since she last saw Denovan, who had been busy at the training grounds, and Ivan was cooped up in his home doing who knows what.

Ignis could only stare at her, lacking the energy to stop her from making plans.

"Denovan will surely come, and Ivan will be happy to join too. The problem is how to do it discreetly. I don’t want to cause a commotion," Anastasia murmured to herself.

Ignis’s mind had already drifted elsewhere. The flowers in the garden reminded him of a distant memory. He felt as if, if he reached out for it, he could grasp the warmth in his fingertips—only for it to slip away, refusing to be caught.

"...We should also invite Callista!"

That sentence immediately caught Ignis’s attention.

"What?" His face showed a hint of displeasure.

Anastasia squinted at him.

"Don’t look like that. You’re responsible for her, you know?"

Ignis looked at her in disbelief.

"For what? She’s not my pet," he argued.

She tilted her head.

"You’re the one who took her in."

Ignis frowned.

"Can you stop referring to her like she’s some kind of child?" His voice held a hint of irritation.

Anastasia chuckled.

"She’s coming with us. It’s much more fun when there are more of us, you know? Besides, it gets tiring looking at your faces all the time."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Ignis sighed tiredly, clicking his tongue in annoyance as he looked down at his tea.

---

Knock, knock!

Regan opened the door in casual clothes.

"Huh? What are you doing here, Princess?" he asked with sleepy eyes.

"Good morning, Headmaster!" Anastasia greeted cheerfully with a smile.

Regan squinted at her.

"We’re here to see Callista," Ivan said from behind.

"How did you even know she’s staying here?" Regan asked, widening the door so they could step inside.

"We asked the Head Madam of her dormitory, and when she checked her student records, she told us that Callista was staying here," Denovan explained.

"Where is Callista?" Anastasia asked when she didn’t see her in the Headmaster’s manor.

Regan sighed.

"Come in." He opened the door wider for them.

His house wasn’t as grand as a palace or a castle. He only had a handful of servants who helped with the chores, and he did most of the work himself. Various paintings adorned the wooden walls, alongside awards he had earned over the years.

As they entered, they were immediately greeted by two staircases leading to the second floor. Despite its simplicity, Regan’s manor felt incredibly homely. They weren’t sure if it was because Regan was always surrounded by students or if Callista’s presence added to the warmth.

Evidence of another person living there was scattered throughout—like a feminine coat hanging by the door and a pastel-colored pillow that stood out among the plain black ones.

They ascended the stairs, glancing around. It was their first time inside the Headmaster’s home—something most students wouldn’t dare to do.

"I must say, I didn’t expect you to visit Callista like this. She’s not exactly friendly," Regan said, shaking his head as he adjusted his glasses.

"We came to ask if she could join us on our trip," Anastasia explained with a smile.

"You have a beautiful home, Headmaster," Denovan complimented.

"Thank you. I enjoy the peace and quiet I get to experience here... but lately, things have been getting more chaotic," Regan sighed, looking exhausted. Dark circles under his eyes hinted at his stress.

Some of them even doubted that he had time to take care of himself, given that his hair looked as if he had just woken up. Fortunately, he still managed to appear graceful despite the messy black locks streaked with white highlights.

"I’m surprised you haven’t kicked her out yet," Ivan remarked.

Anastasia shot him a warning glare.

"Ivan, that’s rude," Denovan whispered.

"Oh, I’ve been dreaming of doing so," Regan sighed as they stopped in front of a wooden door.

He knocked softly.

"Callista?"

From the other side of the room, an annoyed voice snapped,

"What!?"

"Open the door," Regan said.

"And why should I?" Callista retorted.

Regan’s eyebrow twitched. He took a deep breath to calm himself before turning back to the others.

"As you can see, she’s busy being a brat," he muttered, irritation evident on his face.

"Who are you calling a brat!?" Callista shouted from inside before swinging the door open, clearly annoyed.

Her brows were furrowed, and she was dressed in casual indoor clothes.

"What are you guys doing here?" she asked, immediately spotting the people behind Regan.

"Oh wow, you look so happy to see us," Anastasia said sarcastically.

"I would be if you guys weren’t here and Ignis was the only one," Callista shot back.

"Could you be any bitchier?" Ivan said sarcastically, earning a glare from Callista.

Denovan quickly intervened.

"Anyway, we’re here

to ask if you’d like to join us on a trip."

"A trip? So suddenly?" Callista raised an eyebrow.

"Ana was the one who suggested it. We just got pulled in," Ignis shrugged.

"A trip to where?" Regan asked curiously.

"We were thinking of going to Laguna Island," Anastasia smiled.

"The land of the water sprites? Will you be okay there?" he asked, glancing at Callista, who looked at him from the corner of her eye.

"Rather than getting imprisoned here all school break..." Callista shrugged.

"What do you mean imprisoned? Maybe you're forgetting that you're the one who wants to lock herself in her room all day," Regan snorted.

"It's my life. I can do whatever I want," she raised a brow, earning a glare from him.

"Why, you little brat..." he muttered through gritted teeth.

"So, are you coming with us?" Denovan asked.

"Of course," she nodded.

---

Although she willingly joined them, she quickly changed her mind when they arrived at the home of the water sprites, the town of Cordelia. The scorching heat made her head hurt as her wide-brimmed hat shielded her face from the sun.

"Is the village closed to outsiders?" Anastasia asked curiously when she noticed the signs at the entrance of the town.

"Why do you ask?" Ignis replied.

"There are signs that say entry is restricted," Anastasia explained.

"Maybe those signs were used before, Lady Ana," Denovan answered.

"Anyway, what should we do? Should we find a ship to set sail already?" Anastasia asked for suggestions.

"We probably should, Ana. We can't waste time in this village; we still have a long journey ahead," Ivan interjected.

"Hey, aren't you guys tired yet? We rode in a carriage for an hour just to get here, and you're already thinking of setting sail?" Callista complained tiredly from the side.

They all turned to her with baffled expressions.

"Callista, you've only stood there for a few seconds without moving while we've been running around trying to find a ship. You slept through the entire carriage ride, and you're not even sweating. So tell me, how the hell are you tired?" Ivan argued.

Callista rolled her eyes.

"Why? If you're blinded by the sun, that doesn't mean you're actually blind, right? It's common sense, dipshit," she shot back.

They started arguing back and forth while Anastasia studied the village map and Ignis remained silent in a corner, making Denovan sigh as he completely ignored the other two.

"How about you visit a shop first while we look for a ship?" Denovan suggested.

"Do you see a shop anywhere? All I see and smell is the sea and fish stalls, Denovan," Callista said, raising a brow.

"How about waiting there?" he pointed at a small ice cream shop hidden behind the fish stalls.

Callista and Ivan followed his gaze.

"Since when was there an ice cream shop there? Is he a hawk or something?" Callista whispered to Ivan.

"I have no idea..." Ivan whispered back, shaking his head.

They looked at each other as Denovan led the way.

---

Callista lazily sat inside the ice cream shop where Denovan had left her, watching people come and go outside. She even spotted Denovan and Anastasia running around.

Resting her chin on her palm, she blankly stared out the window.

"Miss Callista?"

She turned around to see a man wearing a red bandana with a handsome face. He looked familiar. Callista stared at his smiling face for a few seconds before her eyebrows lifted in realization.

"Caspian? You're Caspian, right?" she asked with a smile, pleasantly surprised to see him in such an unexpected place—and with a different look.

"Yes, I am. I'm surprised you recognized me and remembered my name," he said joyfully with a nod.

"I see you got rid of your glasses and decided to comb your hair today," she teased, making him blush.

"Yeah, I don’t really like drawing attention," he said, bashfully scratching his neck.

Callista then noticed a woman hugging his arm, and Caspian seemed to catch her staring.

"Oh, this is my girlfriend, Marin. She’s also from the academy," he introduced.

"Hi! Finally, it's nice to meet you. I've been a fan of your essay on Magic Theory. I really love your work," Marin said sincerely.

"That's nice to hear. I didn't think my work got noticed," Callista smiled.

"But what are you doing here, Miss Callista?" Caspian asked curiously.

"Oh, my friends and I are going on a trip to Laguna Island, but we’re having trouble finding a ship," she explained, glancing out the window.

"It must be because this is the time of year when students from various academies return home," Marin commented.

"Seems like it," Caspian nodded.

"Oh!" Marin suddenly exclaimed, looking up at Caspian. "How about we let them join us until we reach Laguna Island?" she suggested.

"That’s a good idea," Caspian nodded, smiling affectionately at her.

"You own a ship?" Callista asked curiously.

"Oh, yes. Actually, my father owns it, but I visit whenever I come home," he said.

"He’s the Pirate Lord’s son!" Marin boasted, lifting her chin proudly.

"Oh, my..." Callista chuckled when she saw Caspian turn red from embarrassment.

"M-Marin! I told you not to say that to others!" he stammered.

"Why not? Caspian, I know you’re shy, but I want to brag about you in front of others," Marin pouted.

"B-But I..." Caspian tried to argue but ultimately surrendered.

"How about it, Miss Callista? Do you want to board our ship?" Marin asked.

"Won’t we be a bother?" Callista asked hesitantly.

"It’s fine. Consider it a thank you," Caspian smiled.

"Thank you?" she echoed in confusion.

"Actually, we shared the same Magic Theory class. There was a time when the professor called on me, and I wasn’t able to answer, but you helped me avoid embarrassment," he explained.

"Oh... did I?" she forced a laugh.

Honestly, she couldn’t remember what he was talking about. Either he had the wrong person, or it was one of those days when she was half-asleep, overhearing the professor’s lectures and getting annoyed.

She sighed.

"Thank you for your help," she said, standing up. "By the way, just call me Callista. We’ll be together for the next few days anyway," she smiled.

---

Anastasia was frustrated as she crumpled the map in her hands.

"This was a bad idea," she sighed.

"There aren’t many ships willing to take passengers," Ivan commented.

"Maybe because of the past incidents?" Denovan suggested.

"Incidents? What kind?" Anastasia asked.

"I heard from the villagers that ship captains have been found dead every night since last week, so only a few ships are still in operation," he explained.

"Last week? Wasn’t that the start of our school break?" Ivan asked, furrowing his brows.

"What a coincidence, huh?" Denovan said, making them exchange looks.

"Who is that?"

They all turned to Ignis, who had suddenly spoken. Following his line of sight, they saw Callista walking with two other people.

"This is...?" Anastasia trailed off when they got closer, glancing at the unfamiliar pair.

"This is Caspian and his girlfriend, Marin. They said we could board their ship," Callista explained.

Anastasia was stunned.

"Caspian? You mean that Caspian from the Abnormal Class we met before?" she asked.

Callista nodded.

"No way..." Anastasia gasped as Caspian blushed under their scrutiny.

"You look so different," she said.

"But will you really let us come with you?" Denovan asked.

"It’s no problem," Caspian said with a shake of his head. "There’s plenty of space."

"That’s right," Marin nodded.

"So, where’s your ship?" Ivan asked.

Caspian pointed behind them.

They all turned around

simultaneously—and their eyes widened in shock.

It was the biggest ship in the harbor. The most well-known. The reason they haven't asked to board this ship was because it didn't actually follow the discreet part of Anastasia's plan and they didn't they would be able to because of the owner.

Anastasia stared in disbelief.

"Isn’t this... the Pirate Lord’s ship!?"