(Not Continued Again)
18. Docent

After Luca really left. Silence enveloped them all. Either it was indeed due to the influence of Luca's stifling existence, or because they did have personal problems with him. Luca's previous presence, left a trace of anger within the twinkle of their eyes all.

"Looks, you two like to get involved with troublesome things, huh?"

As soon as Prince Luca completely disappeared from before them, Psyche opened the conversation first. The gloomy atmosphere when the figure who has a position no less important than him was left, was very uncomfortable to feel.

"You two are still small."

"Because we're still this little boy, we both can't avoid that troublesome thing." Evander said, without wearing a formal attitude. The coercion, as well as the closeness established between Evander and Pysche the past few days, managed to erode well the distance between them.

"It's just right Sebastian doesn't like it."

Just like Elthia. Evander also exchanged letters with Sebastian, their eldest brother. Now, Evander is able to understand why Elthia can get nightmares about Prince Luca. As his brother said, the sole prince of Pyralis is indeed dangerous. With his power capable of anything, Prince Luca, could clearly drag them all into danger with ease.

"Can we just start the discussion now?"

Elthia stops talking about Evander and Psyche. Before the fatigue really comes to him. Elthia wants them to reassemble another puzzle from ancient writing, which they are able to find.

"We're not going to have a discussion today."

An unexpected remark from Rio, made all of them fall silent. Elthia looked at Rio. The two red netra who looked back seriously at him, invited a sigh out of his mouth.

"I want to find the truth behind all this."

"Not in which condition is yours being unstable." Denied Rio firmly. Highlight those sharp eyes, clearly proving that Rio did not want to accept the rebuttal.

"Hey, Evander. Can you help me get my things?" sensitive to the situation, Psyche invites Evander to go away with her. Elthia who also understood the guts as if to give them the time Pysche showed, furrowed her brows in wonder. Not usually the two flashy people can get along with each other. So, of course Elthia was quite surprised at the compact action that Psyche and Rio took.

"Let's regroup in the library, yeah!" Pysche blinked one eye. A smile as bright as her sun, successfully inviting a thin arch also appeared, and beautify Elthia's face.

"Basic of childishness."

Not like Elthia who was entertained. Rio put on his pouting face. Psyche's behavior is very disgusting to be seen for people who always put a flat face without spirit like it.

Psyche did not take the dizziness of ridicule that Rio gave. "Come on!" take him, half-dragging Evander. Ignoring Evander's objectionable face, Psyche still pushes Evander to follow him.

"But, Elthia-"

"Just go first. I'll catch up with brother."

Understanding that she could not argue with the two, Elthia chose to follow their wishes.

Elthia smiled. Evander's objections, as much as he could neutralize. "I won't be long."

"He will come with me. So, hurry up and go." Grunts Rio, while driving out Evander with his inaudibility.

"Come,'' take her with him while pulling Elthia's hand. Not caring for Evander's irritated expression as well as Psyche's mocking smile. Rio took Elthia to go in the opposite direction from where the two people were headed.

...°·°·°·°·°·°...

The silver tree where Elthia first met with Psyche, was the place that Rio came to after dragging her away. Elthia noticed such a lush leaf from the silver tree. One of the rods, accidentally caught by his eyes, reminds him of his encounter with Psyche for the first time.

"Have you been here before?"

Elthia noticed Rio who was sitting easily on the ground without using a pedestal. Rio who was leaning so casually on the tree trunk, was a rare sight, which he had only seen this time.

He could put on such an expression as well apparently.

Normally, if not putting on a serious expression, Rio put on a bored expression. Elthia herself was sometimes astonished. While the three of them were laughing together, sometimes the joy that was seen on Rio's face did not reach his eyes. As if saving a big thing, Rio who occasionally looks serious without any problems around, is also quite confusing.

"This is where we first met Prince Psyche."

Elthia was also occupying herself beside Rio. The little grin he was able to catch, seemed predictable.

"Since you're from another world, you don't hesitate at all, do you?"

Rio's gaze towards the bottom of her dress that was hit by the ground, Elthia followed. Smile thinly, Elthia chastised in response. "I am a rare girl." At a time like this, Elthia could boast of herself. Unlike most noble girls who were afraid that the end of her dress was exposed to something dirty, Elthia even without hesitation made a stain on the end of her dress.

"Sitting down like this is something I used to do in my old life."

"So, what do you think? Does it feel good here?"

Elthia looked at Rio. A question that impressed like that statement, to be honest it was a bit surprising to come out from someone so stiff as Rio.

"Compared to the former, of course here is much more fun."

There was not the slightest bit of pretence in his sentence. While here, Elthia enjoyed everything.

"Well, even if I could die at any time, I would still enjoy it, really."

Elthia made a cheerful smile of hers. Her face, which is beautiful, looks more and more beautiful thanks to the beautiful scratches.

"Do you want to see him?"

"I can't keep dodging, can I?" the fact that he is attached to Prince Luca cannot be denied. No matter how cruel the plot has been determined, and how much effort Elthia put in to change it. His meeting with the prince in the story, is inevitable.

"You want to give up?"

"I've come this far. So, how could I give up."

Starting from his arrival, magic, familiar, meeting Rio, to meet some unexpected figures such as Psyche, as well as Tristan. It didn't take a little time for Elthia to get through it all. What had happened all this time, had already given so much to him. Not all the experiences he went through were pleasant. However, spending time like this with a person who is valuable to him, is impossible to replace.

"I don't feel like I'm gonna have a birthday soon."

Elthia looked at Rio. The sullen smile that Rio gave out in response to her sweet smile, felt very comforting to him.

"I'll keep it. So, stop that shitty look."

Elthia laughs. The disturbed facial look that Rio displayed, was indeed a pleasant bored release entertainment.

"You feeling uncomfortable?"

Rio grunting. Elthia who was nosy like this, did not like her very much. "No. But, that sucks."

Laughter that had been trying to be arrested, finally released as well. Elthia could not bear to laugh at Rio's expression that was now irritated by the temptation he gave.

"Stop laughing. You're making a good impression of yours is fading."

"Yes. Ja. Thanks though. I've always been good, though."

Exasperating the person who always gave her this troublesome task, was the best thing Elthia could afford to do. There is no other pleasure more enjoyable than this.

"Yes, you are able to hide it well."

Rio's unfathomable spirit, leaving Elthia confused. "You really praise me? Owah... " Elthia guessed, Rio was just joking. However, who would have thought that a stingy person of praise seemed to be seriously praising him?

"That's satire. Not a compliment." Rio rolled both his eyes puffed. Elthia's confidence that sometimes appears, always managed to irritate him.

"Your face looks calm. However, the turmoil that is in your heart is seen very clearly."

"Shine my eyes?" because reading one's heart through the twinkle of his eyes is much more effective than expression. So, could it be that Elthia's emotions were clearly visible there?

"You're a good con man. Of course what you're hiding isn't legible."

"Which stream is yours. Perhaps, you can trick a witch of a lower level than yourself. However, since I was one level higher, all of that became clear."

Elthia laughed stiffly. Rio's guess was right on target, making him unable to pucker.

"You know everything, huh?"

"That's all the advantages of a guide."

Now, replace Rio who prides himself. "Are you afraid to see him?" there is no other shadow that can shake Elthia apart from Luca, the main character in the story. The sole prince of the Pyralist land was famous even before his meeting with Elthia.

As a guide, of course Rio has many advantages. Besides being able to predict what will happen in the future. Rio was also able to know the color of one's aura. His ability to read forbidden 'books' was the most useful among all the other advantages he had.

Luca's existence will bring disaster to many people in the future. That one prince, will make many of his people suffer. Not because of incompetence, it destroyed it. Rather, because of one fatal action that is able to invite the wrath of the legendary creature, which makes it could endanger the lives of many people. The uncontrolled envy that Luca has, is the main factor causing all the chaos that occurs. His greedy attitude, wanting to have something that is impossible to get, is not worth having a candidate leader like himself. Not only does it have a bad impact on itself. His attitude, of course, will also drag indirectly all people who are under his protection towards destruction.

"The future will change depending on the decisions I make, right?"

The anxiety that Elthia had, was a very natural thing. While the fate of many people's lives depended on her, Elthia could not carelessly decide something. As a menacing figure for the position of Prince Luca, Elthia certainly had to think about the impact that might be obtained, before taking a decision. Because, not only his family, who can feel the impact. At least, other people around him would have the possibility to feel it.

"You just need to be sure of the choice to be made."

"Well, what should I do?" Elthia asked Rio's opinion. When Elthia fulfills a request from Luca to meet, the real storyline goes. Even now, the real groove is quite distorted. However, it does not rule out this plot will run back like the original story, if Elthia is wrong in making a decision.

"Dropping his pride. And don't let him put you down."

The advice Rio gave, was shocking. Elthia was in disbelief, Rio instead wanted to drag her to death this fast.

"Wouldn't that make the situation worse?"

"Rather. The attention that's getting on you, it could be luck."

Which side is lucky?

Wanting to be seen from any side, Elthia felt, instead of giving a profit, Elthia would actually receive a lot of losses.

"Being the focus of Luca's attention will make you the main target."

Elthia certainly knew that too. However, it will be inversely proportional to its original purpose. Elthia did not want to draw the attention of king Istvan any further. As much as possible, Elthia even wanted to make the slightest contact with the members of the royal family.

"Do you mean to let them off guard?"

"Pretending to be in their grasp, will calm them down."

"What if I get caught further and further away?" Elthia sighed. The overwhelming advice that Rio could say so easily without having the slightest bit of this burdened feeling, was quite dizzying. "I don't want to multiply the restraint straps wrapped around Lucretia's neck, Rio."

"When they believe you're under their control. The existence of Prince Pysche was the thing that would make them fall."

"Other than disrespectful. You're also insolent, aren't you?" utilizing the position of a prince blatantly like this... Elthia was sure, no one else, could be as brave as Rio.

"I can't believe you could give me such a crazy idea."

Elthia shook her head slowly. His expression that seemed to say that he regretted having trusted Rio, certainly managed to offend the guide.

"I don't want to hear that from you." Rio's his frown, accompanied by his sharp gaze. Sighing in a rough breath, Rio stood up from his sitting position.

"Stand up!" his orders without giving any explanation. His hands stretched out before Elthia's face.

"Now?"

"You want to make the prince wait a little longer, and spread bad rumors about you?"

Elthia received the helping hand. A thin smile, appearing to adorn his lips. "I'm kidding. So try smiling! Your face scares me."

Rio's sinister expression with his two fiery red netra, managed to make him shudder. One, of the few things that made Elthia unable to oppose Rio's request so easily, was due to the pressure from those two flaming red neutrals. As if having magic that is able to make people feel depressed and creepy at the same time, Rio's gaze at times like this unfortunately looks very harmonious with the color of his hair.

As if it were destined to be one. The aura of an evil character in the story surrounding Rio's body, was also another supporting factor that made him look twice as creepy as other normal humans.

"Reverse."

Not wanting to hear Rio's long rant, Elthia chose to comply. At times like this, just like his brother Sebastian. Opposing Rio would only lead him to a troublesome situation. Elthia, who did not want her mood to deteriorate, relented. Because now Rio is in a normal state. Elthia was sure, Rio would not give her such a terrible thing. As long as they did not practice magic, the actions Rio took were still understandable by his common sense.

"Gift protection from Psyche."

Elthia noticed the necklace attached to her neck, when Rio had already taken some distance from her. A tiny obsidian gem, accompanied by a minimalist gold chain, makes the necklace look very simple. When compared to the necklace he usually wears, this gift necklace clearly has a much more ordinary model, compared to the necklace that Elhia wears daily.

"Did you put magic in this gem?"

The flow of mana that Elthia could feel was faint, giving off a calming feeling.

"Yes. I put it."

Just deserve.

Draining mana in pendulum necklace media, is a rare thing to do. Among all the magical things Elthia had encountered. Just this time, Elthia discovered a small object had great power behind it.

"Is this really from Prince Psyche?"

Given Rio and Psyche's relationship that could only get along once in a while, Elthia didn't expect that the two people could cooperate with each other with her compact. Finding a necklace decorated with obsidian gems is not easy. Not to mention, putting magic into it. Given a gift like this for some reason, Elthia felt overwhelmed by it.

"Yes. That's right."

Rio was paying close attention to Elthia's appearance. The color is inversely proportional to the silver mane that Elthia has from the necklace, giving the impression of a contrast that is so noticeable.

"The magic that is inside the gem has a function to give a sign of danger to us. If you're involved in a situation that makes you unable to use magic, and that really puts you on edge. The magic inside the gem will be a signal, and it will automatically send us to the place where you are."

"How do I use it?" given this marvelous object, really surprising. Elthia could not stop feeling astonished, from the special side that lay on the necklace.

"You just need to call my name, or Psyche's name." Rio replied with ease. It was as if he had just given away an item that was not very valuable. His overly relaxed expression, did not feel burdened at all.

"Hey, Rio."

"Yes?"

Elthia looked at Rio's face. The two red neutrals owned by the guide, it is very suitable combined with his hair that is deep black. Want to be seen from anywhere, Rio has a face that is no less beautiful than the two princes in the story. Compared to Luca or Pysche, somehow Elthia felt Rio's face was much more handsome. As if it was made stand out. The rumors that were spread about Rio also further strengthened his existence. Like an antagonist. Rio's conspicuous existence, clearly had a lot of unexpected things on his side.

"Thank you."

"Have you felt better?"

Smilingly. Elthia welcomed Rio's helping hand that led her away. "Of course."

"Now, you can go see Prince Luca."

Although Rio sometimes sucks. At times like this, his position as a guide really helped him. Talking to Rio, managed to reduce the anxiety in his heart. Now, because Elthia was already convinced of the decision she made later. Elthia was able to meet Prince Luca with much more confidence.

"Let's change the tragic plot of this story."

For the sake of his family, for the sake of his precious people, and those around him. Elthia will try to change the written plot, as best she can.