《The Girl Who Unknowingly Became Harem Queen!》


 1 Dammit I Transmigrated

    One moment a high school girl could be seen chasing after an adorable white rabbit on school grounds, only to fall down a large rabbit hole, which caused the girl to scream as everything around her turned into a sparkle galaxy void as if she was soaring through space. "Wait a minute...! What on Earth is going on?!" screamed the girl, who was suddenly engulfed in a bright, blinding light before everything went dark.


    In the darkness of her subconscious, the girl heard voices calling out to her, voices that for some reason sounded familiar. Heavy eyelids opened themselves only to see a cute handsome boy, between the ages of nine and ten, standing next to her bed, holding her hand. It was at that moment that the girl on the bed thought, ''Who''s this cute boy? ...And why does he seem so familiar to me?''


    "I can''t believe that cruel tyrant would actually push you into the lake! If you weren''t saved in time, you could''ve drowned!" ranted the boy, who was obviously upset about something. Deciding to sit herself up, the girl did just that, only to feel that there was something different about her body. Looking down at her hands she noticed that they were smaller, not only that, but her body also felt as if it had shrunk.


    Suddenly the girl sensed there was something wrong with this situation and instantly threw the covers off her body as she ran to the nearest full-length mirror in the room. Her actions shocked those in the room, who worriedly raced to her side. "Imoto, what''s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?" fretfully asked the boy, though the girl paid him no mind, too stunned to even notice his concern.


    In the reflection of the pearl mirror were a pair of large emerald eyes and cinnamon brown hair running down her shoulders as the girl herself looked to be between the ages of five and six. ''Oh my god...'' There was a blanched expression on the little girl''s face as she raised her hands to touch her cheek. ''I actually transmigrated into another world! So clich¨¦!'' The little girl passed out, causing all those in the room to panic.


    ???*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??


    "...aria... Maria... Maria!" Once again, large emerald eyes opened themselves, which brought relief to those in the room. Rushing to the bed where the girl lied was the same boy from last time. He had dark blonde hair and emerald eyes like her own. She couldn''t help but stare at the boy when suddenly memories began filling her head, memories that most likely belonged to the original host of this body.


    The memory that stuck out the most was that of a girl attending a party, who later began pestering a little boy who the original host seemed to be infatuated with. When the cute little boy, who was the same age as herself, got fed up with her, he pushed her into the lake nearby. The poor girl would have drowned if she wasn''t saved in time.


    ''That jerk!'' frowned the little girl on the bed. Seeing such a frown on his cute little sister''s face, the boy once again reached for his sister''s hands.


    "Don''t worry, Maria, your onii-chan will make that crown prince pay for hurting you!" vowed the brave boy, who was clearly upset that someone dared harm his precious imoto. Hearing such brave words, Maria suddenly felt grateful that this host had such a caring onii-chan.


    "Thank-you, onii-chan, but there is no need to take revenge for me. It''s best that we just forget about this situation. Besides, I was the one at fault." The girl on the bed smiled, unaware of how her reply shocked those in the room.


    ''Besides, it was the original host''s fault for pestering him. God, this spoiled little girl reminds me of that annoying ojou-sama character from that reverse harem light novel I didn''t get to finish reading.'' Maira couldn''t help but think back to one of the characters of the reverse harem light novel she was in the middle of reading before she got transported into this world.


    The name of the light novel was called A Fairy Tale Romance, set in a fantasy magical world, where those who have magic were sent to a well-renowned and prestigious school that taught students how to hone their magic and become better magicians. The story started off with the heroine, the daughter of a baron and his late first wife, entering the middle school division of Diamond Academy. In the beginning, she was registered as a One tier Magician, who specialized in water magic, but after entering the high school division, she became a Four tier Magician.


    Of course, the story wouldn''t be a reverse harem without hot guys. Upon entering the school, the heroine somehow encountered the male lead, who quickly became infatuated with her, along with three other guys. All of who were powerful magicians belonging to rich noble families and were very handsome. All throughout the story, they were deeply loyal to the heroine, even when she married the male lead, who was the crown prince.


    From what she could remember, even after the heroine married the crown prince, the story still wasn''t quite finished yet. Maria was brought out of her thoughts when she felt a hand touch her forehead. Looking to who that hand belonged to, she saw a very pretty maid with short black hair and cat ears that stood on top of her head.


    "It seems ojou-sama no longer has a fever," stated the black haired neko maid.


    "But just to be on the safe side, ojou-sama should try some of the medicine that the house doctor prescribed for her." Standing on the opposite side of her bed, holding two blue tablets in the palm of her hand, was another very pretty maid, yet this one had long white hair with matching cat ears on top of her head. Looking at the two maids, Maria was once again reminded of that same ojou-sama character from A Fairy Tale Romance.


    In the novel, besides the main female villain, there were more female villainous characters who tried to compete with the heroin to win the male lead''s love. Though one villain was more of a comic relief character than an actual villain. Always at her side were two neko-girl maids, who always comforted her when one of her plans either backfired or caused the crown prince to become angry with her.


    After taking the pills, Maria searched the room and realized how big it was, filled with rich and expensive furniture. Even the four poster European bed she was lying on was huge. To put it in exact words, it was a room fit for a princess. The type of room that belonged to a rich ojou-sama who hailed from the upper-class of society.


    ''Seems I transmigrated into a rich girl,'' Maria told herself when once again the door to her room was slammed opened as bursting into the room was a gorgeous busty beauty, who dashed over onto the bed and engulfed her small body in a tight warm hug.


    "My darling little Maria! Are you okay? Don''t worry, okaa-sama will watch over you and make sure you get better!" tearfully proclaimed the gorgeous woman, who had long wavy cinnamon brown-hair that went past her waist and bright emerald eyes.


    In the midst of her mind, Maria couldn''t help but think. ''Wow, okaa-sama''s got some big oppai!''


    "Don''t worry, my darling little Maria. Mommy and Daddy will get you justice! Tonight that crown prince went too far. How dare he do that to my daughter! You could''ve lost your life!" fussed her angry mother, whose emerald eyes screamed vengeance. Smiling softly, Maria placed her hands on top of her mother''s and said,


    "Okaa-sama, please calm down. It was me who was at fault. I kept pestering the crown prince even though he doesn''t like me. So it makes sense that he would get mad. Both of us are at fault, so let''s just drop this matter. I do not wish to bring harm to anyone." Once again, those in the room found themselves stunned, seeing how usually their little ojou-sama would be bawling tears or throwing a tantrum.


    Meanwhile in the mind of Maria, ''The dude already hates me, don''t make it worse by trying to get revenge. I want to live peacefully in this world before I can find out how to get back home. Please, okaa-sama and onii-chan, don''t make it hard on me.''


    Both mother and son couldn''t help but stare at the young girl on the bed, before sharing a look with each other, reaching some sort of understanding as they looked towards her again. "Okay, if you don''t want this matter brought up again then we won''t bring it up. You must not want to make things hard on yourself before entering the Elementary School division at Diamond Academy. With the crown prince''s attitude and reputation, he would no doubt try and bully you if we pressed harder on this matter. Don''t worry, my little Maria, Mommy will go talk to Daddy." Her mother shot her a reassuring smile before leaving the room.


    ''W-Wait a minute, did she just say Diamond Academy? No way, I must be hearing things,'' Maria tried to reassure herself, only to have her brother speak up and crush all her hopes.


    "Don''t worry, my cute imoto, your onii-chan will definitely protect you! I won''t let anyone at Diamond Academy bully you!" His smile was blinding and could probably charm many noble girls and women, despite his young age. Though Maria paid no mind, seeing how she was in the middle of a mental breakdown.


    ''Diamond Academy! The same name of the academy in A Fairy Tale Romance...!'' Ignoring the maids and her brother who were in the room, Maria buried her face in her hands. ''Crap. I got transmigrated into A Fairy Tale Romance... as the comic relief female villain. Life, you are too cruel!'' mentally wept Maria.

 2 Meeting the Male Lead Villainous Brother

    After hearing her brother speak of Diamond Academy, Maria laid on her bed depressed, seeing how she just confirmed that she somehow had transmigrated into the reverse harem light novel A Fairy Tale Romance. Once that was confirmed, it only took connecting the dots to know which character her soul transmigrated into, which was that of the comic relief female villain. ''Usually, when stuff like this happens, the soul is usually transmigrated into the main villainous boss, not a sub-villain, who no one in the series took seriously,'' dejectedly thought Maria as she reflected back on the story.


    In the light novel, there was a character name Maria Rosendrey, a spoiled and bratty rich girl, who was so deeply obsessed with the male lead, a.k.a the crown prince, that despite how many cruel words he threw at her, she still chased after him. It was at this point that most readers labeled her for having a masochist fetish.


    Throughout the story, Maria constantly chased after the male lead, only to fail time after time, and when she tried to attack the female lead, she failed at that too. None of the other villainous love rivals saw her as a worthy rival and competitor when it came to trying to steal the male lead. Who, in Maria''s honest opinion, wasn''t worth that many girls fighting over him. Heck, she didn''t even like the male lead! The guy always let his emotions get the best of him, always falling for one of the evil plots set up by one of the love rivals, except Maria''s, that always led to him breaking up with the heroine.


    And despite the female lead risking her life for him, explaining things to him with added proof, he never listened to her. Which would then result in a long arc of them trying to reconcile their romance with the help of the other male characters who were in love with her. It happened so much in the novel, that Maria remembered her original self-stating that the heroine deserved a better male lead than the one given to her. "Wait, usually in this type of situation, shouldn''t I be worried about my bad ending?" Left alone in her room, Maria pondered over these things.


    "Then again, now that I think about it, I never finished the story so I don''t know if Maria gets a bad ending. Crap, this is bad! I don''t even know my own bad ending! If I''m not careful, I''m gonna die! At a time like this, I need to come up with a plan." Closing her eyes, a chibi Maria stood in front of two miniature versions of herself. One was Light Maria, the reasonable and positive part of her inner conscious while floating across from Light Maria was Dark Maria, who was the negative and evil part of her inner conscious.


    "At a time like this, you must remain calm and not do anything too rash," spoke Light Maria, only to have Dark Maria scoff at her words.


    "Bull crap! I say we go find that little punk of a prince and show him that we are not someone to be messed with. Revenge! Revenge!" chanted Dark Maria, wearing a psychotic smile on her face.


    "I''m not a genius doctor with peerless abilities or a badass assassin who can kill people in a matter of seconds. Sadly, I''m too much of a coward to go chasing after revenge. I want a peaceful and lazy life until I can find some way back home," Maria instantly denied Dark Maria''s suggestion.


    "You''re also not that smart and more of a dumbass than anything," mockingly added Dark Maria.


    "I resent that!" angrily yelled Maria.


    "Violence is not the answer!" interjected Light Maria.


    "I haven''t even thrown the first punch yet. But she is a dumbass! Remember that time she tried to cheat, only to still fail her test in the end," recalled Dark Maria.


    "Such a thing never happened!" Maria''s face was crimson red due to the embarrassment of that particular memory. Suddenly a knock on the door brought Maria out of her thoughts and back into the real world. Walking through the door was her beautiful mother, who was escorted in by her two loyal maids.


    "Maria-chan, how about we go and sit under the gazebo in the garden and have some tea," suggested her mother. Wanting to get out of bed, Maria of course agreed. Though first, she had to freshen up, letting her maids who were named Shirone and Kuroka, pick out her clothes and style her hair. Once presented in the full body mirror, Maria saw that she was wearing a cute bowknot lace tutu dress; the hairstyle the maids had given her consisted of two large heart-shaped buns on either side of her head with a braid hanging down from each one.


    In all, Maria found that her appearance was cute, yet not overly cute. She had somewhat of an average appeal, which was a deep contrast compared to most of the heroine''s love rivals who were all described as drop-dead mature beauties. ''Poor Maria, you just can''t win.'' The soul trapped within Maria couldn''t help but pity the poor character. Once dressed, her two maids escorted her to the garden, which was filled with a varied range of vibrant and lovely flowers.


    In the middle of the garden, sitting under the gazebo was her mother, enjoying some cake before she noticed her cute daughter making her way over. "Maria-chan! Come and join Mommy and her guest!" announced her mother; it was only when she got closer, did Maria notice a gorgeous woman with long bright crimson hair sitting across from her mother. The woman was definitely an unearthly beauty, though what captured Maria''s attention the most was the woman''s long and silky crimson locks.


    ''Her hair is so pretty~! I wonder if she would let me touch it?'' Maria could never help herself when it came to long, pretty hair, trying to resist the urge of running over there and instantly start playing with the woman''s hair. She was so busy staring at the woman''s hair that she wasn''t paying attention to her footing and almost fell face first to the ground until someone raced over and saved her.


    "Are you alright?" asked a concerned voice. Looking up, Maria was met with a pair of dazzling bright sapphire blue eyes staring down at her. It was only then that she noticed holding her was a very handsome boy, who seemed at least two years older than herself. The boy''s face had a slight feminine touch as soft crimson hair barely came to his shoulders.


    ''Hair the color of crimson and eyes that glitter like sapphire jewels... Wait a minute! This is the male lead''s villainous cousin!'' Maria remembered that in the book the male lead had a villainous older cousin, who was determined to avenge his family, who was wrongly murdered by the Empress. At first, Maria recalled wondering why would the Empress murder his family, only to find out later that the Empress''s first love was actually the Emperor''s brother, who instead had fallen in love with a mysterious crimson-haired woman.


    It seemed that even after she married the Emperor, the Empress was still upset that she couldn''t be with the man she loved, so she plotted a scheme that would get the man she loved, along with his wife and child killed. It was only thanks to the family''s loyal butler that the son survived the tragic event, but afterward, he was never the same again. Since then he wanted nothing more than revenge and honestly, Maria couldn''t blame him. She was quite sad when in the climax of the story, he was unable to fulfill his wish and was killed by the male lead.


    Maria was so deep in her thoughts, that she was unaware when her large emerald eyes began expressing deep sadness that caught the boy by surprise. Maria was brought out of thoughts when she realized how everyone''s attention was directed towards her. Even back in her own world, Maria never like to be in the limelight. Looking towards the crimson-haired woman who was also looking at her, Maria blurted out the first thing that came to mind.


    "I-I really like your hair!"


    No one was expecting this to be her response; the crimson-haired woman herself couldn''t help but laugh at such an honest response. "Maa, why thank you. I like your hair as well," she complimented the blushing little girl, who was drowning in her own embarrassment, unaware that her actions caused her savior to think she was quite cute.


    "My clumsy silly, little Maria. This is Archduchess Raina Scarlet and her son, Richard," her mother introduced the two people, who would soon have tragic fates.


    "Maria-chan is quite adorable. I can''t believe Alan would actually do something so harsh." It was evident that Archduchess did not approve of the crown prince''s actions, but Maria really didn''t want her to do something that would most likely make her a target for his anger.


    "Please do not worry about it. I''m also at fault. For now on, I promise to stay away from the crown prince as he wishes." In other words please, do not make things worse for me, Archduchess. Yes, the crown prince is a jerk, but he is a jerk with a lot of power, mentally voiced Maria. Who was reminded that even though her father held the title of Earl, a man who was looked up to and respected by many, including the Emperor who shared some respect for her father, in the end, she was only the daughter of an Earl while the crown prince was the son of the Emperor.


    "I really don''t get why the crown prince would be cruel to such a cute girl." The archduchess shook her head, though Maria didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. The ''real'' Maria or the one in the book was very spoiled and bratty, always pushing her affection onto the prince. So it made sense that he would detest her strongly.


    ''Step number one to staying alive, stay far away from the crown prince. He would only make my life worse,'' Maria told herself.


    "I know right! My Maria is the cutest girl in the country yet he dares treat her so cruelly. Hmph, that crown prince definitely doesn''t deserve my cute Maria-chan''s affection." Maria could only sweatdrop at her overly-affectionate mother who was grumbling and pouting her lips like a child.


    "How about Maria-chan escorts me around the garden? I would like to spend more time with her," politely asked Richard, who really took after his mother in terms of appearance, inheriting both her crimson hair and sapphire blue eyes, wearing a sweet smile on his face.


    ''It''s such a shame that he ended up with such a cruel fate,'' depressingly thought Maria. Making their way towards the rose garden, Maria exclaimed when she saw a beautiful large pink rose.


    "So pretty~! This would make a lovely hairpin for okaa-chan!" exclaimed Maria, who began thinking of ideas of turning the rose into a hairpin to give to her mother. Back in her own world, Maria remembered how she was fond of crafting and making her own DIY jewelry. Now that she thought about it, if she was going to make a hairpin for her mother, she should probably make one for the Archduchess.


    Shyly looking at the boy beside her, Maria asked, "Does your okaa-sama have a favorite type of flower?" The two maids standing close by couldn''t help but wonder what their ojou-sama was planning.


    "A favorite type of flower? That would be the Royal Passion." After hearing that, Maria told Kuroka, the maid with the black hair, to go find a Royal Passion flower in the garden and bring it back to her. After instructing Kuroka, she turned to Shirone, the neko-maid with long white hair, and told her to bring back a short list of items she requested. Once Shirone had left, Richard turned to her and asked,


    "Just what are you planning to do with those items?" he curiously asked the young girl, who shot him a secret smile.


    "You''ll see," she told him. Once all the items she asked for were brought to her, she set them all out on the small coffee table and began getting to work. Using old spare jewelry parts, she began crafting a hairpin for her mother first. Those standing behind her watched with awe in their eyes at the young girl''s craftsmanship.


    Gluing the large pink rose onto a plain gold hairpin, she added three gold chains onto the bottom of it. Dangling from each chain was a small pearl heart that she crafted together. Picking up the Royal passion flower, which was bright lavender camellia flower, she repeated the same steps as she did for making the one for her mother, though with dangling amethyst diamonds. Once she thought of the tragic fate which awaited the archduchess, she wanted to add a little something more.


    On either side of the flower, she included a feathery lilac and dark purple feathers that were shaped like angel-wings which she adorned with several tiny sky-blue and indigo gems. Seeing the finished product of the archduchess''s present, those standing behind her couldn''t help but gasp.


    "Ojou-sama, it''s beautiful," complimented Shirone.


    "Okaa-sama would definitely love it," added Richard.


    "Thank you, though now that I think about it, I should probably add some more detail to okaa-chan as well." Maria didn''t want her mother feeling left out, so she also included a pair of feathery angel-shaped wings, though they were white and pale pink, which she adorned with several tiny pink gems. Once each hairpin was finished, she made her way towards the archduchess and her mother and presented both of their gifts.


    "Maa, what a gorgeous hairpin~!" gasped the archduchess, marveling the young girl craftsmanship. Meanwhile, Maria was suffocating from her mother''s an overbearing hug.


    "My darling Maria-chan actually made Mommy such a beautiful present! Don''t worry my little darling, Mommy will wear it to show off your amazing craftsman skills!"


    ''Okaa-chan, I can''t breathe!'' wailed Maria, who was being suffocated by her mother large bosom


    Making her way in front of the little girl, the archduchess patted the little girl softly on the head. "Thank you, Maria, for making such a lovely gift for me. Seeing you in person, I can tell that you are a pure-hearted and sweet girl. I will definitely repay you for giving me such a lovely present."


    Staring up at the Archduchess, whose smile was more beautiful than a fairytale princess, Maria thought that this world was unfair for the tragedy that awaited her. ''This nice woman does not deserve to die.''

 3 Searching For A Way

    "The archduchess does not deserve to die!" shouted Maria, who was once again having another discussion with Light Maria and Dark Maria.


    "Such a nice woman, definitely does not deserve to die," agreed Light Maria.


    "Saying that she''s a nice woman is not going to help us. I mean, how did she die in the novel?" questioned Dark Maria, who was floating in the air, eating a hamburger for some reason.


    "Hmm, if I recall correctly, both the archduke and archduchess publically died in a tragic fire that broke out at their manor, but we later found out that the archduchess died from poison first, before the fire started," said Maria


    "If the manor was going to be set on fire in the first place, why was the archduchess poisoned?" questioned Dark Maria.


    "It was stated that the archduchess had some type of secret and that she was very strong. So I guess fire wouldn''t be able to kill her, but poison would," suggested Maria, wearing her Sherlock Holmes costume as she paced in front of the two.


    "The jealous heart of a woman can be quite scary," commented Light Maria, which the other two agreed with.


    "So we somehow have to save the archduchess and her family, but... just how much time do we have before she meets her tragic end?" asked Dark Maria who for some reason was sunbathing now, sipping on a tropical drink.


    "In the book, they died on the fourteenth of August, two nights before the Diamond Academy Welcome Back Banquet," Maria remembered in the book that every year, Diamond Academy hosted its Welcome Back Banquet to welcome its returning and new students.


    "So, we have two weeks before we can save the archduchess. That''s not a lot of time." Light Maria said the exact words Maria was thinking.


    "There''s also the problem of what poison killed the archduchess. If she was killed with a certain type of poison, then only a certain type of antidote can cure her," spoke up Dark Maria, adding more to the discussion of things they needed to think about, if they were going to stop that tragedy from happening.


    "If I remember correctly, in the book, Richard''s investigation on the death of his parents revealed that his mother was killed by Winter Poison. The type of poison that''s made by mixing a bunch of ice-class toxin ingredients. Once it enters the body, it will freeze all of the victim''s internal organs. The antidote to Winter Poison is SummerEve, which is made by brewing a petal of a Summer Flower and Lemon Grass. Lemon Grass should be easy to find, but I don''t know about Summer Flower. I''ll have to look up that later." Just as Maria said that, Shirone knocked on the door.


    "Ojou-sama, everyone is waiting for you downstairs for dinner."


    Once Maria was escorted out of her room, she was brought into the large and luxurious European-style dining room. Every inch of the room seemed to sparkle to Maria, a girl whose soul came from an ordinary family. After taking her seat, Maria recognized both her brother and mother, but she did not recognize the handsome man sitting at the head of the table. Though after a quick glance, Maria knew that this man was none other than her father. The man seemed like the stern and strict type, who expected nothing but the highest of expectations from his children.


    Seeing this, Maria couldn''t help but gulp; she wasn''t good with these types of people. Though she completely missed when the man looked towards her way, sympathy flashing through those dark brown eyes of his. "Maria, I''m happy to see you''re feeling okay." Maria couldn''t help but jump at such a deep and authoritative voice, almost dropping her silverware, yet she still managed to nod her head, too afraid to speak.


    As she sorted through Maria''s memories, it seemed that the poor girl always held a sense of fear towards her father. First off Maria''s father was a busy man, so it was kind of hard to form a father and daughter bond with the man being away most of the time. Then there was also this commanding, authoritative aura he gave off, added with that stern handsome face of his. Things only got worse, when one day Maria was about to visit her father''s study room, only to hear him harshly scolding someone; that only made the young Maria''s fear of him increase.


    While Maria was too busy in her own thoughts, she completely missed the brief look of gloom that passed through her father''s eyes, receiving nothing but pity looks from both mother and son. After an awkward silence, it was Maria''s mother who decided to break the silence, cheerfully beginning to speak about her day.


    Maria was chewing on a piece of delicious steak when she heard her mother say, "Oh and Maria, the archduchess invited us over on the twelfth for a small tea party she''s hosting. She told me that she can''t wait to meet you again." Meanwhile, Maria didn''t know whether this certain predicament was a blessing or a curse.


    ''If this is a blessing, then I must save the archduchess and her family. I really hope in this life, they will achieve happiness and not despair like before,'' mournfully thought Maria as she stared down at her plate.


    ??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??


    After dinner, Maria made her way to the library located inside the family manor. Trying to dig up information about the Summer Flower, a voice close to her ear startled her and made her scream. After dropping the book, Maria turned around and saw that it was onii-chan who had frightened her.


    "Onii-chan, what are you doing here?" Maria asked, trying to get her heart to calm down.


    "That''s the same thing I should be asking you. If you wanted me to read you a bedtime story, you could''ve just asked you know.?" It seemed her older brother thought that his cute little imoto wanted to read a bedtime story, but once he saw the cover of the book that had fallen out of her hands, he grew confused.


    "Why are you reading a book about plants?" he asked as she began flipping through the pages again.


    "I''m looking for information about the Summer Flower," stated Maria, hoping that onii-chan could maybe give her some clues on where it was located.


    "The Summer Flower? Why do you want to know about that?" he suspiciously asked. Growing nervous, Maria scratched at her cheek, looking for an excuse.


    "I''m just curious about it since I want to make another hairpin, using a Summer Flower this time," innocently said Maria, which made her brother chuckle for some weird reason.


    "Maria, a Summer Flower is not just any regular flower, it''s a plant-beast." After saying that, he walked over to the bookshelf and pulled out a book. Opening it, he began flipping through the pages before finding the right one and presenting it to Maria.


    "You see this is a Summer Flower. They''re only active during the months of June and July before going into hibernation," explained her brother, showing her a picture of a large sunflower like creature, which had razor sharp teeth and several thick green limbs. Looking at the picture, Maria thought one thing,


    ''I''m screwed!''

 4 My Weirdo Family

    The next day Kuroka and Shirone found their Ojou-sama in the garden, plucking flowers with a dark cloud hovering above her head as they heard her murmur, "I''m screwed. I''m screwed." She kept repeating those words, causing both maids to become worried.


    "Ojou-sama has been like this since this morning. Even during breakfast, which made the Madam burst into tears," whispered Kuroka, recalling when the Countess rushed over to her daughter, tears bursting from her eyes, engulfing their ojou-sama in a hug.


    "Not good, we must cheer-up ojou-sama." Shirone''s face grew serious as if this was a grave emergency. Meanwhile, Maria was unaware of everyone''s concern for her wellbeing as she sighed and looked up towards the sky.


    ''Is there really no other way I can save the Archduchess?'' Maria mentally asked herself.


    "Ojou-sama, how about you try some dessert to cheer you up." The one who made this suggestion was Shirone, and upon hearing the word dessert, Maria perked up.


    "Sweets are definitely the things I need if I''m going to get through this. Kuroka! Shirone! Let''s head to the kitchen!" called out Maria, who was already making her way to the kitchen with the two maids running after her. Though, both maids soon found out that what was supposed to be a simple relaxation activity turned into their ojou-sama barging into the kitchen, tying an apron around her waist, and piling ingredients on the counter. Her actions not only stunned her two maids but also the kitchen patissier who was only brought out of his stupor when he saw the young girl reach for the large, sharp knife.


    "Ojou-sama! A young girl like yourself shouldn''t go picking up sharp items. Please allow me to assist you." Once the knife was out of her hand, Maria looked up and saw a handsome young man, who looked to be in his early twenties, standing next to her.


    "I would like to make S''more Macarons, please," politely asked Maria, whose attitude completely caught the young patissier off guard. He was so used to the young girl demanding for him to make sweets for her. Never, since Lance started working for the Rosendrey family, had the little girl been so polite to him. Instead of a haughty sneer, she now smiled cutely up at him.


    "U-Umm... Sure. Let''s get started." The young man was still wary, staring at all the ingredients that were laid out on the counter. Each was necessary for making the special type of macarons that she had requested. In no time, the two set off to work, and for some reason, Lance was enjoying himself. Adding his assistance whenever she was having trouble, he was thankful when the little ojou-sama did not snap at him. If anything, she was grateful for his help.


    Taking a glance at the little ojou-sama, who stood up on a stool next to him, he found her adorable; no matter what task she was doing, she was always humming some type of song while wearing a cute smile on her face.


    ''I don''t know when the little ojou-sama changed so much, but I''m not complaining,'' thought Lance, who definitely did not miss the bossy and arrogant little miss who used to order him around like her personal slave.


    Maria was so engrossed with her macaroons that she missed when her father came into the kitchen, only to freeze when he saw the sight before him. His eyes were glued to his daughter who was wearing an adorable pink apron, dancing in front of the oven where they just put the macaroons in. She was chatting with their kitchen patisserie, wearing a wide smile on her face. The man stood there silently for a good couple minutes, scaring the two maids who were late to take notice of his presence.


    Just as they were about to inform their ojou-sama, the man shook his head before walking back to his study. Though, Maria caught a glimpse of his back as he was leaving. ''I wonder why Oto-sama left? Did he maybe want sweets too?'' Maria asked herself.


    "Shirone, does Oto-sama like sweets?" Marisa asked the white-haired neko maid.


    "Why yes. The master is known for his infamous sweet tooth. The madam is always joking that you inherited your sweet tooth from the master," answered Shirone.


    "The Earl always requests for a dessert after each of his meals," added Lance as Maria soak in all of this information.


    ''Who knew that such a cold man had such a sweet tooth... Maybe I should give him some of my macaroons.'' Maria suddenly felt like sharing some of her desserts with her father. Once the S''more Macarons were finished, Maria placed some in a small plastic bag, tied it with a ribbon, and made her way to her father''s study room. Once there, she timidly poked her head inside and saw her father at his desk, going over papers.


    Noticing a presence in the room, the Earl set down the stack of papers in his hands and saw his daughter timidly making her way over to him. "Maria, is something wrong?" The man suddenly grew concerned, seeing how Maria never sought him out. Which was all due to his daughter''s fear of him, something that brought pain to his heart.


    Even though the Earl was seen as a strict and harsh man, deep inside he was completely the opposite, especially when it came to his lovable wife, his smart son, and his adorable daughter. Though ever since his little girl caught him at a bad time, harshly scolding one of their workers, she grew afraid of him, and his stern expression did not help him win any trust back. Seeing his only daughter fear him broke his heart, a reason why he kept a safe distance away from her, unable to bear the sight of her being so afraid of him.


    "I-I made sweets and wanted t-to give you some." Maria placed the bag of sweets in his hands, before shooting him a small smile. "I-I really hope you l-like them, Otou-sama!" Even though the original Maria was afraid of her father, the new Maria right now wanted to at least give the man a chance. As she saw the man sitting there, blankly staring at the sweets, she grew nervous. But when she saw tears escape from his eye, she almost fell backward from shock.


    "O-Otou-sama, are you okay? Should I go get okaa-chan?" worriedly asked Maria, who was about to get her mother when she was suddenly engulfed in a tight hug by her father who sobbed like a child.


    "This is the first time Maria-chan has ever given Papa sweets! Papa... is so happy!"


    Maria stood there dumbfounded; never did she believe there would be a day when she would see a grown man bawl like a child over a few macaroons. The image she had of him before shattered into pieces. No longer did she feel any fear directed towards her father.


    Turning her head blankly towards the door, she saw peeking their heads into the room was her tearful eyed maids, mother, and even her own brother.


    "Mommy is so happy that Maria-chan finally made up with Papa!"


    "Now tou-sama can finally fawn over the real Imoto and not the large portrait he has of her that is secretly hidden in his study room."


    ''He has a portrait of me?!'' mentally exclaimed Maria, who didn''t know how to feel towards this sudden revelation.


    "Master, we''re so happy for your success! We wish you and ojou-sama a long and happy relationship!" cried Kuroka and Shirone, holding a handkerchief to their teary eyes.


    ''Oi, you''re implying something dangerous there! No matter how hot he is, this man is still my father! Please, don''t make it sound so incestuous!'' Maria ranted in her mind. As she took notice of her strange new family, she couldn''t help but think,


    ''I''m surrounded by weirdos...'' Later that night as Maria got ready for bed, drifting off into la-la-land, she had this vague feeling that she was forgetting about something.


    "Oh well, I''ll remember it in the morning," mumbled the sleepy girl.

 5 Trying to Stop A Tragedy

    Lying down defeated on the couch, Maria tried to resist the urge to cry or bang her head against the wall. Why was she upset? It was because tomorrow was the Archduchess''s tea party, having just remembered earlier today about her agenda for saving the woman''s life. "I suck as a hero," muttered Maria when a presence entered the room.


    "Something on your mind, imoto?" Sitting up, Maria saw the one who entered the living room was none other than her brother.


    "Just deciding on what dress I should wear to the Archduchess''s tea party tomorrow," she lied, seeing how she just couldn''t confess out of the blue how the archduchess''s and her family''s lives were in great danger if something was not done.


    "Hmm, is that so." He took a seat next to her, and he pressed the top of a decorative glass vase, that displayed a blue crystal butterfly inside. Once activated, a large holographic screen appeared, showing what looked to be some daytime drama.


    ''I almost forgot, Crystal Butterflies is how this world can communicate and even receive visual aids thanks to the Crystal Butterflies'' clairvoyant abilities.'' Watching her brother flip through the channels, Maria was reminded of her world''s modern-day television.


    Maria was about to ponder on other ways she could probably save the archduchess when her mother suddenly barged into the room. "Maria-chan, now is not the time to be lazing around. We need to find you the perfect dress to wear to the tea party, and while we''re at it, we need one for you to wear to Diamond Academy''s Welcome Back Banquet. My Maria must look the cutest at all times," proudly stated her mother, dragging her back to her room to try on the endless pile of dresses she picked out.


    ''Someone save me from this woman!'' cried Maria, not wanting to go through such torture.


    ??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??


    On the day of the archduchess''s tea party, Maria played her role of introducing herself to the archduchess and guests. The other ladies complimented Maria''s adorableness and manners before they started discussing the latest drama that was unfolding around the capital city. While the ladies talked, Maria used this chance to ask one of the serving staff for the location of the kitchen. Once at her destination, Maria crouched down by the door and began observing those working inside.


    ''If I can''t get the antidote, then I''ll stop the poison from reaching the archduchess. This is the only plan I have and the only way I know how to stop her death from happening. I can''t fail! Even if I have to starve!'' Maria commented to herself, oblivious to all the strange stares she was receiving.


    Some thought that after a few minutes the girl would leave but were proven wrong. Even after an hour had passed, the girl refused to leave, not even when her stomach started to growl. They wanted to approach the girl but were scared off by the vicious look in her eyes that reminded everyone of a guard dog. Luckily one of the staff, who just couldn''t watch the girl starve herself, set a plate of food down in front of her. Seeing this presented to her, Maria smiled and thanked the maid for her kindness.


    Once the food was finally placed in her stomach, Maria was ready for the second hour of watch duty. Closely watching everyone, she had to make sure that no poison was placed in any of the refreshments or food. By the time the third hour came, Maria was beginning to feel restless, but once she thought about the tragedy that awaited this family in the future, she steeled her resolve and mentally began cheering herself on.


    "Why are you guarding the kitchen door?" This sudden voice, that appeared in close proximity, scared Maria, who almost screamed out in fright.


    "Richard-sama?! What are you doing here?" The boy took a seat right next to her, looking at her curiously.


    "I needed somewhere to escape to."


    "Escape?" Just as Maria was about to question him, they heard footsteps coming their way. Quickly, Richard reached for her hand and dragged her into the kitchen. Once inside, they both pressed their ears against the door.


    "Richard-sama~!" They heard a girl called out his name, followed by another female voice.


    "I''m almost positive I saw him come this way."


    "Maybe he went another way. Let''s go and try to catch up with him." Hearing the sounds of their footsteps fading, Maria now knew who Richard was escaping from.


    "It seems you''re quite popular, Richard-sama," replied Maria.


    "I would be flattered if that was indeed true. It''s my status that attracts them, not me as a person." These words caught Maria off guard, who hadn''t expected such a response from a boy who was only one year older than her.


    "T-Then...If Richard-sama does not mind, can I get to know you as a person?" sweetly asked Maria. This time it was Richard who was caught off guard by her words. Never had anyone said such words to him and be sincere about it. Even though he was quite young, Richard was aware of the greedy thoughts in the minds of those who tended to surround themselves around him and his family. He sensed their fake sincerity and their smiles, which only made him want to distance himself from such people.


    Yet he could tell that Maria was unlike those other people; her words were sincere, along with her smile which he found charming. "I would like that very much." He couldn''t help but smile, softly patting the little girl on the head, which only made her smile even brighter.


    ''Don''t worry, Richard-sama, I''ll make sure that you''ll get the happy ending that you deserve,'' vowed Maria, who was about to continue her watchdog duties when she saw an unfamiliar maid walk passed her. The maid had dark raven hair, carrying a single cup of tea on a tray.


    ''Through my observations, I have become familiar with all the faces of those who work in the kitchen, yet never once have I seen her coming in or out of the kitchen until now.'' Turning to the boy beside her, Maria asked, "Richard-sama, do you perhaps know that maid?"


    "I know every face and name of each person who works in our manor, but that woman''s face is unfamiliar to me." Richard narrowed his eyes, and at this sudden revelation, Maria took off running.


    ''She''s the one! She''s the one who is about to poison the archduchess!'' Maria felt afraid. She wasn''t going to lie to herself, but at the same time, she couldn''t let someone innocent die. She may be a coward, and a weak one at that, but she could at least do this much. Like a charging football player, Maria slammed herself into the maid''s back, causing her to knock the cup of tea off the tray and onto the floor.


    It was at that moment that Kuroka and Shirone were making their way up the hall when they spotted their ojou-sama sprawled out on the floor and rushed over to her. Though as they passed by the maid and the spilled cup of tea, their noses picked up a certain scent that humans and certain species could not detect, but they could. Sharing a look with each other, Kuroka ran over to their ojou-sama who was being assisted by the Scarlet heir, while Shirone turned in the direction where the maid was kneeling on the ground.


    "Why did my nose detect Winter Poison in the tea that the archduchess personally requested?" Not too far away stood Richard, frozen, who was helping Maria off the ground when he heard what Shirone said. In a flash, his sapphire eyes narrowed, glaring at the back of the maid, who still hadn''t gotten off the ground yet.


    "She doesn''t work here! Never have I seen your face inside our manor. Speak up and tell us who you are working for! Who sent you here?" demanded Richard, making his way over, ready to integrate the maid, but was quickly stopped by Shirone.


    "Damn, all thanks to one little princess, my mission is ruined. The only thing I had to do was poison the archduchess and later while everyone was at their weakest, still mourning over the last breath of their madam, set this entire place on fire. Once the mission was complete, I''d get my money, but the cat is out of the bag now." The woman sounded annoyed at her failure to complete her mission, snatching off the wig placed on her hair along with the maid outfit she was wearing.


    "Shitty brat! If it weren''t for you, I could''ve gotten my money!" She stuck up her middle finger and ranted. The sexy woman wore skin-tight clothes that did little to cover her buxom body; medium length dark purple hair was combed to one side lying over her left shoulder. Though her face was beautiful, there was a nasty sneer plastered on it.


    "What''s going on here?" Walking up on the scene with narrowed eyes was none other than the Archduchess herself as she took in the scene before her.


    "Tch gotta abandon the mission now, but don''t think this is over, you little bitch." The angered woman cursed, throwing a smoke bomb that consumed the area; though right before she jumped out of the glass window, she threw a small dagger in Maria''s direction. Once the smoke was cleared, everyone got their sight back but could only scream in horror as they saw Maria''s bleeding arm where the dagger had left a wound.


    "Ojou-sama!" screamed Kuroka and Shirone, holding the bleeding girl in their arms. Richard stood there petrified as the blood continued to stain the girl''s arm. The pain inflicted upon her caused Maria''s eyesight to blur, but yet those long scarlet tresses still managed to stand out as the archduchess rushed over to her.


    "Don''t worry, Maria-chan, we''ll get you help. Just hold on." The archduchess was about to start yelling out orders when the little girl with her uninjured hand softly touched the woman''s face.


    "Y-You''re a-alive... I managed to do it... I managed... to stop a tragedy. I''m... so happy!" Maria felt her last ounce of strength fade once those words were said, and she gently closed her eyes. Only faintly did she hear the frantic and scared cries of those who began calling out her name. While Maria was being cared for at Scarlet''s manor, she was unaware of the impression she left behind on those who stood to witness her actions.

 6 Aftermath

    Upon opening her eyes, Maria was met with the familiar sight of her bedroom ceiling; slowly sitting up, she saw both Kuroka and Shirone cleaning and straightening up things in her room. Blinking her eyes sleepy, both maids quickly turned their attention towards their ojou-sama and almost cried tears of joy upon seeing her awake.


    "Ojou-sama, you finally opened your eyes," cried Kuroka, running over to her ojou-sama''s bed.


    "I''m so happy to see you up, ojou-sama. I''m ashamed of my lack of ability of not being able to protect you properly." Shirone had her head down, angry with herself for allowing her ojou-sama to have become injured.


    "Protect me?" Maria muttered confusedly, only to remember the whole situation that happened at the Archduchess''s tea party before she had gotten injured and blacked out.


    "That''s right! I had gotten hurt! Shirone, how long have I been out?" asked Maria.


    "For about twelve hours, ojou-sama. It''s now getting close to noontime," answered Shirone.


    "Wow, I''ve been out for a long time," sheepishly grinned Maria, scratching her head before taking in the depressed expressions both of her maids were making. "Maa, cheer up! I don''t like others being depressed, besides it is normal for people to make mistakes. You just have to look at the bright side of things. The Archduchess is okay and so am I!" said Maria. Her words managed to slightly lessen the guilt both maids were feeling in their hearts. Though, nevertheless, they promised themselves to be more vigilant when it came to their ojou-sama.


    Maria was about to say something more when her door was busted open by her mother, who immediately shot her eyes over to Maria, who jumped at the sudden intrusion. Instantly tears filled her mother''s eyes before she rushed over to Maria, engulfing her in a hug as she burst into tears.


    ''Okaa-chan, I can''t breathe!'' wailed Maria, who had her head smothered against her mother''s large bosom. Soon walking into her room was her brother and father. Just like her mother, they immediately looked towards her direction, before rushing over to hug her.


    "Maria, Papa''s heart broke once he heard what had happened to you. Don''t worry, such a thing shall never happen to you again," vowed her father, hugging the opposite side of her, across from her mother.


    "Don''t worry, Imoto, next time just run to me, and I''ll definitely protect you. Damn it, the first time was with that bratty prince and now it comes from a mercenary! Why is Maria always targeted?" It was obvious that her brother was angry at how this was the second time his precious little sister had ended up hurt and was nowhere to protect her.


    ''Never again shall I get myself hurt. ''Cause at the moment... I can''t breathe!'' shouted Maria, literally smothered in the comfort of an overly emotional family. Finally, after her parents and brother had calmed themselves down, happy to see that Maria was well, the questions Maria wanted to ask were answered.


    It seemed that right before the woman who was hired to assassinate the Archduchess made her escape, she injured Maria with a poison dagger. Luckily, the Archduchess made a call for the Imperial Physician to come and heal Maria''s injury. Sometime later when the Archduke arrived back home, quickly finding out that his wife was almost assassinated, he immediately began conducting an investigation. The information which he received led to him discovering that the woman who appeared in the manor was none other than the deadly assassin, Lady Poison. A woman who was known to be skilled in the art of poison and was also a member of the famous mercenary group, Vixens.


    ''Vixens? If I recall, they later caused trouble for the heroine and her harem gang sometime after she enrolled in Diamond Academy. All the members of the group are female and are known to be vicious. It''s also best to never underestimate them, like the male lead did once, seeing how that one mistake almost cost him his life if the heroine didn''t step in to save him.'' In the midsts of her thoughts, Maria remembered what the woman said to her before making her escape.


    ''Great, I already made an enemy who is a heartless assassin.'' Maria''s words were filled with sarcasm before she heard her mother say something that caught her attention.


    "Oh, after hearing and witnessing your bravery, the people from the Scarlet Manor came this morning bearing gifts," said her mother, before leading her to a once empty room. Though after Maria opened the door, she saw how the room was now filled with boxes of gifts; her eyes grew large in awe.


    ''Wow~! Is this an early Christmas?!'' exclaimed Maria, before making a beeline to the box that first caught her attention. Lying on top of the box, Maria saw s a card that she began to read.


    To Maria-chan:


    I just wanted to say thank you. You are a girl who possesses a brave and kind heart. You selflessly placed yourself in a dire situation just to protect someone else. Not many would have done what you did, and that''s why I am thankful. One shouldn''t recklessly put their lives in danger, especially someone who is as cute as you are! If one wishes to protect others than that person must grow strong first. Though you may be weak in body, your resolve is already strong. You certainly have left quite the impression on my family. We sent these gifts as a token of our appreciation.


    P.S.: I specifically picked out this dress for you to wear for the Diamond Academy Welcome Back Banquet. Hope you like it ;)~!


    After reading over the letter, Maria felt a sense of happiness bloom in her heart. The words the Archduchess wrote to her were really touching as she couldn''t stop herself from smiling. Setting the letter aside, Maria took off the lid of the box, reaching inside to pull out a gown that made all who saw it gasp.


    The soft fabric of the dress was made from pink glittering silk; the sleeves and bottom of the dress had white ruffles, while the chest portion was decorated with gold ornate designs and white pearls. Down below, the dress had tiny pink and blue pearls sewn all over it, and there was also a white decorative portion going down the center, surrounded by more golden ornate designs. The dress also came with a pair of white opera gloves and socks that also had pearls sewn on them. Once placed in the light, the dress couldn''t help but give off an enchanting sparkle, making all eyes be drawn to it.


    "There is no doubt that this dress came from one of the top clothing stores here in the capital city. The fabric, material, and style are all top qualities. A beauty that even some nobles are unable to get their hands on. Only the Archduchess, the owner of Red Royal Queen, could possess such a rare beauty." Maria''s mother stood beside her, analyzing each detail of the dress that was in her hands, before clapping her hands together.


    "Yep! My Maria will definitely be the cutest girl there is at the Banquet! No other girl will dare outshine you! Now, all we have to do is pick out the right accessories and go to the salon bright and early in the morning to get your hair done. Oh, and pedicures!"


    Maria just stood there and stared blankly at her mother, feeling a sense of dread filling her heart.


    ''Help me!'' She mentally began to cry.

 7 Diamond Academy Welcome Back Banque

    Maria found herself escorted out of the carriage by her brother, whom she shared transportation with, thanking him before pointing her large wide eyes at the massive elegant, Victorian building standing in front of them. A bunch of high-class carriages kept arriving, dropping off kids of all ages, who, from what Maria had seen so far, all walked with their heads held high, posture perfect with a stuck-up and sophisticated air to them. Which made Maria''s stomach turn, knowing that she would most likely not get along well with most of the kids here. It was already bad enough that she had regressed a few years back from her original age, but now she also had to deal with a bunch of stuck-up rich kids.


    ''So this is how Haruhi from Ouran High School Host Club felt.'' Mentally trying to rid the butterflies in her stomach, Maria reached for her brother''s hand, who kindly walked her into the building. Once inside, Maria heard classical music playing; kids of all ages were spread out in groups, talking amongst themselves. A few were even slow-dancing on the ballroom floor, which painfully reminded Maria that she didn''t know how to ballroom dance.


    ''Yep, I want to go home.'' Having just walked through the door Maria already wanted to leave.


    "Michael-kun, it''s good to see you." Looking towards where the voice was coming from, Maria was stunned to find herself staring at a beautiful girl who reminded her of an Egyptian princess. She looked to be the same age as her brother with smooth tannish brown skin, long wavy raven hair that reached down her back, wearing a bunch of gold accessories that went well with her deep purple dress.


    Standing by the beautiful Egyptian princess''s side was a younger girl around Maria''s age who bore a similar resemblance to the older girl; yet instead of raven hair, she possessed short pale blonde hair, wearing a cute yellow dress. Unlike the older girl, whose very air screamed elegance, the younger of the two seemed more energetic and friendly, grinning when she spotted Maria, shooting her a peace sign. Maria responded back with a smile and a wave of her hand, wondering if the girl knew her or was just being friendly.


    Hearing a bunch of whispering, Maria looked around the room, noticing how a bunch of the people in the room was looking in their direction, mostly in the Egyptian princess''s direction. It seemed that the girl was quite popular, seeing how most of those staring at the older girl were blushing boys. Though now that Maria paid closer attention to the females in the room, she noticed that they were, in fact, fawning over her older brother.


    ''Wow, my brother is a popular bishounen!'' exclaimed Maria, before innerly smirking at the realization of having a hot older brother who spoiled her.


    ''Take that, you fangirls! If you wish to go out with my brother then you''ll have to go through me.'' Maria was feeling like an OP final-boss character of an RPG game, barely aware when her brother began introducing the two people in front of them.


    "Maria, this is a friend and classmate of mine, Isis and her little sister, Mai." When Maria heard those two names, she briefly recalled that Isis would become the number one most talented girl in the high school division in the future. Not only that, but the little sister and the original Maria in the story had a very bad first meeting when Maria publicly blew the girl off who only tried to befriend her. When she got annoyed by Mai''s presence, she embarrassed Mai by causing the eighteen layers tiered cake to crash down on her, causing everyone at the banquet to laugh at the poor girl.


    This would cause a traumatizing experience for Mai, who would begin to bear a deep grudge against the original Maria. Luckily, Mai would become best friends with the main heroine, who helped her overcome her trauma that was caused by the original Maria.


    ''What a sweet heroine, but man the original Maria was evil. This is what happens when you spoil a child too much.'' Recalling the events that happened in the book, Maria couldn''t help but stare at Mai with pity, promising to never follow in the original Maria''s footsteps.


    It didn''t take long for both Mai onii-san and Isis to get pulled away by kids from their own peer group, leaving only Mai and Maria alone together. "Hi, I''m Mai; want to become friends with me?" asked Mai with a large cheesy grin on her face that made Maria think of the sun, unable to resist smiling herself as she returned the gesture with a one of her own.


    "Sure, I would love too!" Deep inside, Maria was really happy, since Mai would be the first friend she met since she crossed over into this world. Happy to have made a friend, Mai grabbed Maria''s hand, dragging her over to the table filled with food and desserts. Both girls couldn''t help but feel their mouths water at the sight of the food, as it took no time for them to begin stuffing their mouths.


    Once each girl was filled and satisfied, it was Mai who spoke and suggested, "Let''s take a walk around the garden. Such a large meal needs good exercise to help digest the food."


    "Good idea, but just where is the garden?" asked Maria, watching Mai begin to ponder the same thing.


    "Let''s go out and search for it. It can be like an adventure!" suggested Mai with an eager and curious look in her eyes, that told Maria that Mai was the adventurous type of girl. Getting up on their feet, the two were about to leave but stopped when Maria saw a familiar redheaded boy make his way over to her.


    "Richard-sama?!" exclaimed Maria, surprised to see the boy so soon after the whole fiasco that happened at the Scarlet Mansion. The young boy himself was drawing a lot of attention from girls of their own peer group and even older. Dressed in a stylish attire, it made Maria, and most likely the majority of the other girls, think of him as a prince. Mai looked confused as she watched the boy stop right in front of Maria. A charming smile was placed on his face, that caused some of the others to blush heavily and feel jealousy towards the one who it was directed towards.


    "Maria, I''m happy to see you again. I never did get the chance to thank you for what you did at the Scarlet manor. You are a kind and courageous girl." Hearing such a compliment, Maria couldn''t stop herself from blushing, sheepishly scratching the back of her head.


    "A-Ah, it was really nothing-" Maria couldn''t find the strength to speak when a pair of soft lips touched her cheek. Richard''s actions not only took Maria by surprise but all those who were watching. The girls'' eyes by now had become murderous and Maria was oblivious to it, unlike Mai who began fearing for her friend.


    "If you don''t mind, I would love it if you save me a dance later?" Richard requested, showing off that bishounen smile of his, which brought forth the imagery of sparkles and red-roses. Mai sweatdropped when she saw that a few girls, who were not glaring daggers at Maria, fainted, while Maria was still in a daze but nevertheless, managed to nod her head. Satisfied with Maria''s answer, Richard excused himself, while Mai dragged Maria away somewhere more private and away from the crowd of angry females.


    It was only when they were outside, standing beside this large and decorated angel water fountain the size of a small pool, that the two took a breath as it was Mai who spoke up and asked, "Just how do you know the Scarlet heir? That guy is basically untouchable and not the type to socialize, yet... It seems that that is not the case with you?" Mai stared at Maria, eyes filled with curiosity and questions.


    Just then, the two heard footsteps come their way, followed with a voice. "Tch, just when I was trying to find some peace and quiet, I just had to run into you," complained the mysterious figure who Maria wasn''t looking forward to encountering anytime soon.

 8 4S Beauties of Diamond Academy

    Maria''s good mood from before instantly disappeared once she took in the appearance of the boy who just talked. He was cute, with a touch of handsomeness as you could tell that he was definitely going to grow up and be a major hottie in the future. Then again, this was the same guy who, even though he was a shoujo male lead protagonist, without the female main lead, Maria could mistake him for a shounen male harem protagonist. The temperature outside felt warm. A light breeze ruffled his raven hair; those piercing silver eyes of his were pointed in Maria''s direction.


    "...Y-Yo."


    "Idiot."


    ''Well screw you too, asshole!'' fumed Maria as in her mind Dark Maria was flipping off the rude boy. Unable to sense Maria''s anger, the boy, who was none other than the Crown Prince a.k.a the future love interest of the female heroine and number one on Maria''s list of Who to Avoid, turned his attention to the other boy who stepped up beside him.


    "So it''s her, again. Count''s Martin Rosendrey daughter who is low in IQ, annoying, unladylike, and straight up... distasteful." This time, expressing his dislike towards Maria was yet another one of the future heroine''s harem members and the crown prince''s best friend. Just like with the crown prince, one could tell that this boy, whose hair was the color of midnight blue, wearing black framed glasses, looked like one of those know it all, rich, arrogant kids, who looked down on those inferior to themselves.


    "Hey, four-eyes, stop saying those rude things about Maria!" Maria almost cried tears of joy when she saw the one who was sticking up for her was Mai.


    ''Mai! You sweet, sweet girl! You''re a truly good friend. Don''t worry, I''ll bring you cookies for sticking up for me.'' Mentally, Maria was shedding tears of happiness, healing the pain of those hurtful words that were thrown her way. ''Hey, I''m only human and even though in novels those transmigrated females can walk it off, slapping the faces of others like a true OP boss. Sadly to say, that''s not me. I''m weak! So please stop bullying me for something the past Maria did!'' silently begged Maria, who was having to deal with the troublesome people that the original Maria offended.


    "Such an unpleasant girl as you dares to talk back to Rei-sama!? Can you not see how the presence of you two is ruining the crown prince''s mood?" spoke a fierce and angry female voice. Deep down inside, Maria had a bad feeling that when she encountered the crown prince and his loyal sidekick here that things would get worse. Why the heck did she have to go and jinx herself?!


    In the garden by the fountain, Maria and Mai stood in front, while on their left stood the crown prince and four-eyes, though appearing on their right were four girls that to Maria spelled troubled. Now, remember when Maria was talking about all those female rivals that were against the heroine and her relationship with crown prince?


    ''Never knew I would meet the A-team so early in the beginning.'' The 4S Beauties of Diamond Academy. When it came to popularity, beauty, wealth, and strength for females here at Diamond Academy, ranked at the very top was without a doubt is Isis, Mai''s older sister, who students at the academy dubbed the ''Empress.'' Though right under her were the 4S Beauties, the ''S'' in the name standing for seasons, due to how each girl''s appearance reminded people of a specific season.


    Starting first with Natsumi Summer, the one who spoke before and was currently glaring at both Mai and Maria, the over the top red and gold details and pink rose design dress really complimented her fiery pink and reddish-orange omber hair, suiting her overbearing and fierce attitude like the unbearable sun during summer. She was the daughter of Marquess Leonard Summer and his wife, Marchioness Haruko, who was the princess to some foreign kingdom.


    "Alan-sama! Rei-sama! Please forgive these two''s transgressions; even though they are in the wrong, it''s not good to waste anger on those with low intelligence." This time speaking, using that sugary adorable voice of hers was Lily Bloomdale. When looking at Lily, one couldn''t help but compare her gentle and moe-appearance to a flower that bloomed in the spring. Instantly becoming bewitched by those large lime-green eyes, blonde long curly bangs framed her cute face, while the rest was pulled up into two thick braided buns, decorated with pink, yellow, and light green flowers. Her dress was yellow, light pink, frilly, and over the top girly. The treasured and spoiled daughter of Earl Vidor Bloomdale and Countess Camilla.


    "Is it just me, or is this the second time our intelligence was insulted?" Mai leaned over to whisper in Maria''s ear.


    "No, it definitely not you," Maria whispered back to her when a third girl began to speak.


    "My crown prince, Maria has always been a stupid and pushy girl. Her obsession with you is truly unladylike and should be avoided." This time downgrading Maria in public with her sharp words was Belle Autumn, the Beauty of Fall, voice not too harsh and not too soft. Belle was the type of girl who always appeared mature beyond her own age, holding herself as better than everybody else. Earning the title of Beauty of Fall, this was due to her chestnut brown wavy hair and honey-orange color eyes, wearing a violet dress. Belle father is Head of Magical Law Enforcement, one of the biggest departments in the Magic Bureau, while her mother just simply came from an aristocratic family.


    Standing on the side, constantly taking insults, it made Maria want to leave yet her feet were rooted to the ground. She definitely had nowhere to run when she saw the final and fourth member of the 4S Beauties make her way towards them as the closer that elegant figure got did Maria understand why this girl had earned the title, Beauty of Winter.


    "What is your relationship with Richard-sama?" demanded the frosty princess. No hint of a smile on her face, being so close to her, Maria could''ve sworn she saw malice flash in this girl''s eyes. Standing before her was Elsa Snow, a girl who was known to never smile with words that cut sharp like ice. She reminded Maria of an ice-fairy with her pale skin, icy-blue eyes, flowing snow-white and pale blue ombre hair, wearing a elegant indigo and midnight-blue dress with a glittery blue shawl. Even though Elsa father was a powerful aristocrat, it was her mother who got the most attention, seeing how she was once a famous opera singer, who Elsa idolized and later followed in her mother''s footstep by becoming a popular idol.


    At this question, Maria found herself speechless; from a side glance, Maria could see how this question caught the attention of both four-eyes and the crown prince. Maria was beginning to think she was cursed with bad luck with all the things she had been encountering lately, especially when these four major beauties made their appearance. Which gave Maria a feeling that her life was not going to get easier.


    Though neither of the 4S Beauties could actually stand each other, due to having feelings for the same man, they also could not stand Maria. Why? Simply because they found her actions and unruly ways annoying and disgraceful. The original Maria always did things in a loud, foolish, and bossy fashion and that was a huge ''no-no'' for these primadonnas. Things only got worse when it was obvious that the crown prince also did not like Maria, leaving the four to knock her down when in their crush''s presence or ignore her like an outcast. The original Maria vainly looked up to these four primadonnas and always secretly wanted to be a part of their clique.


    ''Life, why must you hate me?''

 9 End of the Banque

    "I''ll ask again, what is your relationship with Richard-sama?" demanded the icy Beauty of Winter, glaring those icy-blue colored eyes straight at Maria, who was suddenly reminded about something. In the novel, it was hinted that before Elsa fell for the crown-prince she once had feelings for someone else.


    ''So that someone else must''ve been Richard-sama. Unlike the other love rivals, Elsa didn''t immediately fall for the crown-prince, but gradually grew feelings for him throughout the years, since her first crush, Richard-sama, was out of the picture, but now the plot of the story has changed.'' Maria sighed to herself; she could smell the trouble that was brewing and she knew there was no way for her to escape it.


    "What exactly is going on out here?" questioned a familiar voice as everyone turned towards the direction the voice came from. Both Maria and Mai were taken by surprise, yet very happy and surprise, to see their respective sibling coming to their aid. Also, standing along with them was Richard, who was wearing a not so pleased expression.


    "Really? You''re bulling my sister again?" Michael stomped his way over to Maria and pulled her to his side, showing off his overprotective side while glaring daggers of hate directed at the crown-prince.


    "Bully her? Do you have any proof? Did anyone here see me bully her? ''Cause last time I checked, it was always your precious sister who caused problems for me," Alan, the crown-prince, argued back as the stare off between the two boys became more intense; lightning could literally be seen flashing before their eyes.


    "Foolish little cousin, I didn''t know you were this petty. Maa, I fear for Astral in the future, if it''s going to be lead by such a childish, arrogant, and petty brat, who doesn''t even know how to be a gentleman to a young lady." Richard''s words were sharp like a blade, eyes cold, smile charming yet also deadly. His words seemed to have gotten under Alan''s skin, who looked as if he was about to say a retort back, only to have four-eyes stop him, shaking his head at the crown prince.


    Clicking his tongue in annoyance, the crown-prince shot one last glare in Maria''s direction, taking his leave, four-eyes following right behind him. Seeing the crown-prince leave, the other girls, except for Elsa, took their leave as well. Elsa, on the other hand, walked up to Richard and curtsied before him.


    "Richard-sama, it will be an honor if you save me a dance." Elsa was the Diamond Academy''s ice-princess, cold and expressionless, yet at this moment she was acting the part of a shy maiden as she shot the crimson haired boy a bashful look. Only to have Richard completely disregard her, walking around her as he made his way towards Maria.


    "Sorry, but it seems I''m down to my last dance, and I already reserved that for Maria-chan." He beamed that beautiful and enchanting bishounen smile straight at Maria, ignoring Elsa''s presence completely. Hearing those words, Michael narrowed his eyes at Richard, feeling suspicious of him. Maria''s face was red as a cherry. A concern Mai was trying to fan her down. Isis seemed to have picked up on something happening between her friend''s younger sister and the Scarlet heir, yet remained silent, an amused smile on her face.


    Though the one who took Richard''s open display of affection for Maria the hardest was definitely Elsa, whose expression turned stiff as she uttered, "M-Maria-chan?!" Pure disbelief was written on her face before hardening, returning back into the ice-princess as those icy-blue eyes glared at Maria and promised nothing but vengeance. Without another word, Elsa exited out of the garden, but her hate towards Maria rose up a notch.


    ??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??


    Back at the banquet, Richard kept his promise as Maria felt like she was Cinderella dancing with Prince Charming. Though she messed up a lot, stepping on his feet and missing a few steps, Richard just laughed and said, "I find your stumbling very cute. It''s part of your charm. No need to feel embarrassed." Once again, Maria was blinded with roses and sparkles when Richard smiled down at her. Unaware of how on that night, she was envied by a lot of girls and became public enemy number one.


    On the sideline, both Isis and Mai took notice of all the looks the dancing young couple was receiving. "A lot of girls here are glaring at Maria which is not a good sign, nee-san. When school starts, will Maria be bullied a lot?" Mai asked her older sister, who had her eyes glued on the blushing Maria, who once again messed up.


    ''She is not going to have an easy school year, especially with all the attention she drew tonight. The road this girl must walk is filled with many thorns, but I see something great lies in store for her.'' Isis said nothing but smiled at her innocent adorable little sister. "Mai, your friend is very special. What will you do if others start to bully her?"


    "Don''t worry, nee-san, I''ll definitely protect Maria-chan!" Mai grinned and pumped her small fist into the air. Isis couldn''t help but giggle and pat her energetic little sister on the head. Both sisters found their little moment interrupted when they heard some sniffing and turned towards the direction of where it was coming from.


    "Maria...My sweet Imoto didn''t even save a dance for her nii-chan but instead with some boy. She picks some boy over her handsome nii-chan! Maria~!" Rolled into a ball was none other than Michael, weeping tears as he watched his precious little sister smile and blush as she danced with the Scarlet heir.


    "Michael-kun, I sense some strong competition in the future for you. Seems someone will be snatching away your cute Imoto in the future," Isis teased her friend, watching how a look horror took over his handsome face.


    "No! Over my dead body! Maria promised to marry onii-chan~!" protested Michael while little Mai couldn''t help but sweat-drop at Maria''s older brother, who had a serious sister-complex.


    Though the night was magical and came with its ups and downs, Maria was smiling by the time she returned home with her onii-chan. Who for some reason was depressed and uttering death threats towards a certain redhead?


    After Shirone and Kuroka tucked her into bed, Maria''s mother walked into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "So I take it my little Maria enjoyed herself tonight?"


    "Yep~! I even made a new friend!"


    "That''s wonderful, okaa-sama is happy that her precious Maria made a friend. It really puts my heart at ease that when you start school in two days you won''t be on your own." Maria was all smiles and giggles until it dawned on her that in two days she would be starting school which brought along a lot of dread and anxiety.


    ''Something is telling me that I''m not going to have an easy school-life,'' thought Maria, before her mother kissed her on her head, wishing her good night.

 10 Welcome to Diamond Academy

    "Awww, Darling, doesn''t our dear Maria-chan look adorable in her new school uniform~?" Maria blankly stared at her squealing mother, while trying to ignore the flashes of light in her face, that came from her father''s camera.


    Turning away from her overly affected family, Maria glanced at herself in the mirror. Since Diamond Academy was such a prestigious school, it made sense that their uniforms should match.


    The light blue dress she was wearing touched her skin like a gentle cloud. With it, she was wearing a cute white cropped jacket with a sailor collar. Tied around her neck was an adorable cute red ribbon with silver fancy border designs on the dress and jacket. The back featured a lace-up design for a bonus feminine appeal.


    Underneath, she was wearing white socks with a stylish pair of Mary-Janes on her feet. Today her hair was in twin tails with heart-shaped buns holding them in place. ''I look like Chibi Moon and just how does Kuroka get my hair to be in the shape of hearts?'' Maria tried to resist the urge to twitch, promising to try to talk Kuroka into giving her a much simpler hairstyle next time.


    "Imoto, are you ready?" Walking into her room was her brother who was also in the Elementary Division, wearing the male version of their uniform. It had the same color combination as the girl''s, only it consisted of a sailor uniform top, trousers, a red tie, and suspenders.


    Just like with the girl''s uniform, the school emblem was located on the left breast pocket. The emblem itself was a silver diamond that gave off the faint illusion of pale rainbow colors; surrounding the diamond were rainbow stars in the formation of a circle with a fancy gold vintage border on the outside.


    "I''m ready!" Grabbing her school bag off her bed, wanting to escape her parents, Maria made a break for the door. Walking out the front door, she met both Kurako and Shirone who would be coming to school with her. At first, Maria thought it was weird having the two tag along with her to school until her mother explained how completely normal it was for them to accompany her for her own protection and how she would not be the only one.


    Upon hearing that last bit, Maria had nothing else to say. Standing behind them was the carriage, but that wasn''t what caught Maria''s attention. No, it was the two large griffons that were attached to the carriage. Since she first landed in this fantasy world, this was her first time seeing creatures that normally shouldn''t exist, but here they were, standing only a few feet from her.


    "Let''s go, Imoto, we don''t want to be late for the Opening Ceremony!" Snapping her out of her daze was the voice of her brother who was already loaded onto the carriage. Making her way towards him, he helped her into the carriage while Shirone and Kuroka loaded themselves up on the saddles that were attached to each griffon.


    "Good-bye, my darlings~! Mommy will be sad without you here!" Maria watched her mother try to hold back her tears, waving at them with the white handkerchief that was in her hand.


    "Micheal, make sure to carefully watch over your little sister," ordered her father with tears running down his stern face. Once everyone was on board, Shirone whistled, which was a signal for the griffons, who let out a loud animal noise, before taking off on their feet. The speed was considerably fast as it didn''t take long for Maria to glance out the window and see them entering a large forest that was bright with color, flowers budding all around.


    The deeper they went, Maria saw that the forest was filled with different types of trees, which came in all types of sizes. The colorful leaves of the branches allowed for just the right amount of light to shine down on the flat, fertile grounds below. Smiling at her curious gaze, Micheal couldn''t help but open his mouth and say, "This forest is called the Enchanted Forest, home to plant-beasts and tree spirits. One can only gain access to Diamond Academy by entering the Enchanted forest. Soon we will reach the gate-keepers."


    "Gate-Keepers?" This was Maria''s first time hearing that term.


    "SS-Class Magicians that guard the gate entrance to Stella Aurorae, a realm where Diamond Academy exists within." Maria listened to her brother explain, noticing when the carriage stopped moving. Maria literally jumped when she saw a figure dressed in black suddenly appear at her window like a ghost.


    "It''s okay, Imoto, these are the Gate-Keepers I was telling you about. Just hand over your Student ID for them to check." Maria listened to her brother''s instructions and took out the little purse that displayed her student ID. The process was quick, as in no time Maria had her Student ID returned to her and the carriage started up again. Maria was unprepared for the bright flash of light that blinded her, and by the time her eyesight returned, she heard the griffons screech.


    This prompted her to look outside, though even she was taken off guard, seeing nothing but the clouds and blue sky. Opening the window, Maria popped her head out, and when she saw the sight before them, she couldn''t help but exclaim, "Oh my... That''s Diamond Academy?!" Maria felt as if her eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.


    Diamond Academy itself was a humongous school built into a floating mountain, connected to various other mountains and landscapes, some with buildings and an arena built into them. It was unlike anything Maria had ever seen as she briefly remembered how the story stated that all school grounds of Diamond Academy were protected by an invisible shield.


    "Welcome to Diamond Academy, Imoto~!"

 11 Homeroom

    Once they stepped on the grounds of Diamond Academy, Maria stuck close to her brother as she followed him to the Opening Ceremony for the Elementary Division. Diamond Academy was known to house three different divisions: Elementary School, Middle School, and High School, each with its own specific building and uniform.


    Maria was talking to Shirone and Kuroka, admiring the beautiful scenery of the academy as they bypassed a large gold water fountain in the shape of a fairy. They also passed by many rose bushes and flower beds until they finally reached their destination. In a vast clear area was a large stage with a podium located in front of the mass of elementary students that were excitedly chatting with one another; some even brought their butler or maids, who were loyally standing by their young master''s or mistress''s side.


    Soon a strict looking older lady stepped forward to the podium, and with one fierce look every student, including Maria, became terrified and stopped talking. Satisfied with herself, the lady opened her mouth to speak. "Welcome, both new and returning students to Diamond Academy. As most of you should know, this academy was built to ensure the prosperous future of Astral. Since this academy was built, we have produced nothing but great talent and will continue to do so. Diamond Academy is one of the most prestigious noble schools in Astral, and we will not stand for slackers."


    The more the woman continued to talk, the more frightened Maria became. Back in her own world, Maria wasn''t the type of girl who had straight good grades but was the type that tended to slack off and barely got by. But it seemed now that she was enrolled in Diamond Academy, she would have to throw away her old habits.


    The woman, who addressed herself as Ms. Cruella, continued to talk for a full hour before all the students were divided into their own individual grades and homerooms. Maria was glad to have found a seat that was close by the window, though also a little sad that Kurako and Shirone couldn''t follow her into class. The only time she would be able to meet with them would be during her free period and lunch.


    "Maria~!" Maria heard a familiar voice call out her name, feeling a warm body hug her. Turning her head to get a look at the person, Maria smiled when she saw it was Mai.


    "Mai! It''s good seeing you again!" Maria was so happy to see Mai, seeing how deep down inside she was scared of having to endure this strange new school life on her own. For the duration Maria had spent in this world, she was aware that things here operated much differently from her original world. Especially now that she wasn''t the person who she once used to be...


    No longer was she Madison Riverdale, a normal highschool girl and huge otaku who lived with her grandmother. No. Now she was Maria Rosendrey, an ojou-sama who now existed in a world of magic and fantasy. ''If I want an easy life here, I gotta be careful,'' Maria reassured herself right when a young woman with long flowing tea green hair and an easygoing smile entered the room.


    "Hello, everyone~! I''m your homeroom teacher Ms. Nunnally, and before we begin I will call each of you up to place your hands on this here object." Ms.Nunnally pointed to the gold stand with a round clear crystal ball that was sitting on her desk.


    "This magic item will help determine the type of magic each of you holds," explained Ms. Nunnally before calling out the first name on the list which belonged to a boy. Following ''s instructions, he placed his hands on the crystal ball as everyone curiously waited to see what would happen. A few seconds passed when suddenly a flame was lit and began swirling around inside the crystal ball.


    "Congratulations~! It seems you hold fire magic. A form of Magic that revolves around the use of fire, allowing the caster to conjure, manipulate, and control that specific element for various purposes," she told him before writing down his results, calling the next name that was on the list.


    For the next couple of minutes, Maria watched as different students got called up and discovered the type of magic they each wielded. After the boy had left, a girl got her name called and made her way to the front; after placing her hand on the ball a blast of wind blew in her face.


    "Wind Magic. A type of magic which gives its user the ability to manipulate the air and wind currents around them," explained Ms. Nunnally as next to come forward shocked Maria, unaware that she shared the same class with the Crown Prince who detested her. Making his way forward, everyone had their focus on him, some even murmuring things about him as he ignored the gossiping voices around him and placed his hands on the orb.


    Seeing this, Maria was reminded about something she read in the novel of how it stated on Crown Prince''s first day that he left a huge impression on his classmates and teachers. Emerald eyes stared at the crystal ball that first lit a flame that swirled around when it suddenly changed into sparks of lightning that flashed inside; this caused a reaction from the other students, but it wasn''t finished just yet. After the lighting disappeared, the ball began emitting bright yellowish-white light before returning back to its normal state.


    "Oh, my~! Never has anyone awaken their second, or even third for that matter, magic type at such a young age! It seems you hold Fire Magic, Lightning Magic, and even Light magic inside of you. Spectacular!" exclaimed Ms. Nunnally, the class chatting excitedly among themselves though Alan said nothing, only smirked as if he expected such results from himself.


    Maria followed him with her eyes and saw that he had taken a seat next to four-eyes from the banquet who also shared this class with her. It seemed Alan must have sensed her eyes on him as he quickly shot a glare in her direction that caused Maria to instantly turned her head back around.


    "You should be careful around that jerk of a prince. Something tells me that the more you hang around him, the more bad things will happen to you and... I really just don''t like him," Mai pouted adorably, causing Maria to feel both touched and the urge to pinch those adorable tan cheeks.


    The next name that was called was familiar to both Mai and Maria who shared a shocked look with each other before having their eyes follow that dignified figure who gracefully made her way up to the front. Standing in front of the class was none other than Elsa Snow. Placing her hand on the orb, a teardrop of water formed inside, though the teardrop suddenly transformed into a rose made out of ice, causing everyone in the class, Ms. Nunnally included, to gasp, greatly confusing Maria.


    "Why is everyone so surprised?" questioned Maria only to have Mai turn to look at her confusedly.


    "Don''t you know that out of the nine main types of magic that exist in this world, ice magic is not amongst them. Meaning that ice-princess second magic type is a Bloodline Magic," Mai spoke seriously to Maria, who could barely recall the book mentioning something about bloodline magic.


    "Those with bloodline are very rare in the world. Not only are they prized for their abilities, but they always have a great future awaiting them." Maria listened to Mai''s explanation as the majority of the students threw praises at the ice-princess who merely flipped her long snow-white and pale ombre hair and made her way back to her seat.


    After the ice-princess, came a cute gloomy boy with dark purple and lavender messy hair, long bangs blocking his eyes. Which was probably the reason behind him tripping as he made his way up front. This incident caused some of the others to laugh at him. When Maria saw this she automatically knew this precious child was not going to have an easy school life ahead of him. He literally screamed ''target'' and ''victim''. He was a lamb literally just waiting to be slaughtered!


    "Maria, are you okay? Why are your eyes suddenly all watery?" Mai worriedly began fretting over Maria who had her hands clasped together like she was getting ready to say a prayer.


    ''Hang in there, little lamb!'' Maria mentally cheered on the purpled haired boy who was named Julian Chevalier. Literally shaking as he placed his hands on the orb, everyone was a little shocked when colorful music notes appeared and began playing a lovely melody that brought a sense of awe to the majority of the girls in the class. While the music was still playing, something else appeared in the orb which was cute dancing and singing marionette dolls.


    "It seems Chevalier-san wields Sound Magic and a type of Bloodline Magic as well. Very good~!" praised Ms. Nunnally. As Julian made his way back, some of the boys said mean, teasing words such as ''weirdo'', ''girly'' and even ''lame''. The timid boy said nothing but scurried back to his seat with his head hung low. Such a sight caused Maria''s heart to ache, seeing how her prediction had indeed come true.


    "Maria Rosendrey, you''re next." Hearing her name being called, Maria pushed Julian''s issues to the side and made her way up front. ''If I remember correctly, Maria wielded Earth Magic.'' Maria placed her hand on the orb, expecting the same results that she read in the novel. Only to have her eyes widen when she saw a black swirling vortex appear within the orb, before spilling out and covering the entire class.


    The black vortex reminded Maria of space when suddenly shining stars of various colors of the rainbow appeared all over the room. This caused all sorts of reactions from her classmates. Even Maria and Ms. Nunnally were in shock, especially Maria who couldn''t help but think...


    ''Mayday! Mayday! Something is definitely not right here?!''

 12 Class is in Session

    Ms.Nunnally was in a state of utter shock, lilac eyes glued onto that panicking girl who was just as surprised as her. ''Never has the Magic Delving Ball reacted this way... This girl... is truly unique.'' Students had their eyes pointed towards those beautiful shining stars; one student was even about to reach out towards one of the glittering stars only to have the room suddenly return back to its normal state.


    Calming the class of excited, chatting students with a fake cough, Ms.Nunnall beamed a smile towards Maria whose mind still couldn''t believe what had happened. Though at the sound of her teacher''s voice, she was brought out of her thoughts.


    "Congratulations, Ms. Rosendrey~! The type of magic you wield inside of you is Celestial Magic. A special type of magic which grants the user the abilities to summon beings from the Celestial World to their aid, and over time, once a magician has matured enough, the beings will even grant the magician special abilities!" explained Ms. Nunnally, though she didn''t speak the downside that this type of magic holds for the magician out loud.


    ''The downside to those who wield Celestial Magic is the strain it puts on the magician''s body. Not to mention the heavy toll of magic it takes from them. Unless that girl has a large chamber of magic residing in her, her future as a flourishing magician is bleak,'' mused Ms.Nunnally, before explaining the academy''s regulations and courses they would be taking as first-grade students.


    So far Maria felt okay when she found out most of her classes were the basics such as: Math, Science, Language Arts, and History. Though she felt the opposite when hearing the three other courses that she was not so familiar with, which were: Basic Arts of Magic, PE also known as Defense and Enhance Magic Training, and Intro to Magical-Beasts and Plant-Beasts.


    Maria''s first three hours were spent revisiting the basic elements of Math, Science, and Language Arts, though when her fourth period came around, Ms. Nunnally began explaining the Basic Arts of Magic to them. Something which was outside Maria''s knowledge and peeked at her curiosity. "It is said that those who are gifted with magic are blessed by one of the Sacred Ancient Trees, the holy patron of magic. Not only were humans gifted with magic but so were the creatures of the land and even plants."


    "Amongst those of the human race who are gifted with magic, there exists the nine main types: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lighting, Sound, Light, Black, and Celestial. These are the common types of the magic that you''ll see throughout the world; though outside the main nine magic types, there exists such a thing called Bloodline Magic." Ms.Nunnally was writing notes on the class chalkboard, writing the next word she said in bold letters that she underlined.


    "The origin of Bloodline Magic varies, but one thing that is for certain is that, as the name implies, it is a special or unique type of magic that only those of a certain bloodline can inherit," explained Ms. Nunnally. Hearing this, Maria was reminded of a famous anime show that was dear to her heart.


    ''So sorta like a kekkei genkai from Naruto, huh?'' Maria was taking notes, using the pink girly pencil that was stashed away in her bookbag. The rest of the class was mainly spent with explaining the main key facts of magic, before promising tomorrow that they would begin taking on a more hands-on approach concerning their magic. The students for this first semester would learn how to control and shape their magic to their will.


    Maria was happy when her fifth period came around, since it was her lunch period, meaning a happy break from class. Walking outside of class with Mai, Maria was happy to have met up with Kurako and Shirone again, who she introduced Mai too. "Mai, these are my two maids, Kuroka and Shirone. Kuroka and Shirone, this is my new friend Mai who I was telling you about last time."


    "So this is the friend ojou-sama mentioned~!" Kuroka seemed excited to have finally met the new friend their ojou-sama spent hours talking about.


    "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mai-sama." Shirone curtsied in front of Mai, who Maria noticed was unused to being shown such level of respect.


    ''I almost forgot; despite Mai''s carefree and energetic personality, she hides a deep pain.'' A forlorn expression briefly appeared on Maria''s face, before deciding to change the subject.


    "Shirone, do you and Kuroka know a good remote and quiet place that we can have our lunch at?" Maria asked Shirone, who was quick to give her an answer.


    "I have the perfect place in mind that suits your request, ojou-sama." In no time Maria found herself walking on the stone path located in the school''s rose garden maze, which soon led them to a nice sized patio with few trees. In the center was a white gazebo with vines and roses growing all over it. A few decorative white chairs and a table sat underneath the gazebo.


    "It''s perfect!" Grabbing Mai''s hand, the two girls rushed forward and took a seat. Mai sat her lunch box on the table as Shirone took out Maria''s, before setting it on the table. Once the lid was opened, the two girls couldn''t help but be awed at the contents inside. Which were a few sandwiches, all cut into perfect triangles, a few sliced apples in the shape of a flower with a cup of caramel sauce in the middle, along with a few bright colored macaroons and decorative bite-size cakes.


    ''Okaa-san, you truly spoiled me too much!'' Maria felt nothing but undying happiness, promising to thank her overly affectionate mother when she returned home later. Looking over at Mai''s lunch box, Maria saw that Mai was just as fancy looking, but with more meat dishes piled into hers.


    "Wanna share each other''s lunches?" Maria offered, after eyeing a juicy sausage that was in Mai''s lunch box.


    "Sure~!" excitedly answered Mai, who was also eyeing one of the delicious cakes that was inside Maria''s lunch box. The two continued sampling each other''s lunches as Shirone politely served them tea while Kuroka amusingly stood to the side, giggling whenever one complimented a sample of the other''s lunch.


    Lunch would have continued peacefully if the sound of a few boys nearby in the area hadn''t interrupted them. Looking towards where the noise was coming from, Maria saw a few boys from her class; one was holding a cute blonde lolita looking doll.


    "My dad told me that a real man shouldn''t play with dolls! That those who do are weak and a pansy just like you!" The boy holding the doll taunted as the two other boys who were standing alongside him laughed as another boy tried to reach for the doll, only to have it thrown towards one of the three boys who was bullying him. Narrowing her eyes, Maria soon realized that the boy who was being targeted by their bullying was the cute little lamb Julian who was in her class.


    ''Precious little lamb, it''s already your first day and you''re surrounded by bullies.'' Seeing the three boys who were much taller than Julian, sending mean taunts his way and tossing around the doll that was obviously precious to him, caused a sense of anger to rise from Maria.


    "Mean stupid bullies. I should go over there and teach them a lesson." Sharing Maria''s feelings was Mai, who began glaring at the three boys, hands balled up into fists.


    ''I want to go over there and help, but a part of me is afraid of making the situation worse. But... I can''t stand the sight of this treatment. If I turn my head away, I''ll never be able to forgive myself.'' Turning her eyes towards Shirone, the white-haired cat maid seemed to have understood her ojou-sama''s thoughts and made her way over to the group of boys.


    "You three are disturbing my ojou-sama. Please leave," Shirone spoke, voice unwavering and polite, showing them no sign of hostility. Though it seemed the boys were not happy to have someone interrupt their fun.


    "Stay out of this! If your ojou-sama has a problem, tell her to come out and face me herself!" yelled the boy from before who was taunting Julian. Speaking of Julian, the lamb was caught by surprise when a beautiful white-haired cat maid stepped in front of him.


    ''So you can bully me next? No thank you!'' Maria took a sip of her tea, keeping a watchful eye on the situation. Shirone tipped her head to the side, showing the three a beautiful, bright smile, and in a saccharine voice said,


    "My ojou-sama''s attention shouldn''t be wasted on such low-filthy garbage. So once again, I''ll tell you to leave..." Maria almost dropped the teacup in her hand when in that next second Shirone''s eyes flashed a chilling bright red, eyes sharp like a predator''s, sending utter fear into the hearts of those three boys as she finished saying, "Before I do something I won''t regret."


    Watching the three boys run away like the devil was after them to steal their souls, Maria couldn''t help but think. ''Yep. I did right by sending out Shirone. Also, gotta promise myself to never in my life piss her off.''

 13 Returning Back Home

    Seeing that the small group had finally fled from the area, Shirone''s face returned back to normal, offering a kind smile to the boy on the ground. "You are safe now. Though the one you need to offer your thanks to is my ojou-sama. It was she who ordered me to come to your aid," gently said Shirone, returning the doll the three bullies dropped on the ground when they fled back in the arms of its rightful owner.


    Julian was surprised to hear that someone actually sent their maid to come to his rescue. Due to how most people tended to keep their distance from him, labeling him weird and frowning upon his interest in dolls. "If you follow me, I can take you over there so you can express your thanks, and do not worry. Our ojou-sama is very kind and understanding," explained Shirone as the boy timidly began to follow after her.


    In just a few seconds, Maria saw Shirone making her way back over, spotting the quivering little lamb behind her. ''Ah, he''s like a precious little cinnamon roll that needs to be protected,'' inwardly squealed Maria when she saw Julian poke his head out from behind Shirone when he felt her gaze on him.


    "Would you like to take a seat with us?" Maria kindly asked the adorable little lamb, who seemed taken aback by the sincerity of her words and actions, sensing zero hostility from the emerald-eyed cinnamon brown haired girl.


    "If you sit with us, I''ll offer you a piece of my steak!" offered Mai with a large friendly grin on her face. Julian was always used to others showing him hostility that the kindness the two girls gave him left him baffled. Yet also... he felt a nice warm feeling sprout in his heart.


    "Ano... T-Thank-you f-for s-saving me." Julian felt himself blush as he stuttered over his words, expecting the two girls to regret their decision of asking him to come over. Only to once again be taken off guard when instead he received nothing but friendly smiles from the two girls.


    "Maa, I can''t really say that I did much. I mean Shirone was the one who did all the work. The main thing that is important now is that you are safe and are happy to join us. Oh, I''m Maria by the way. Maria Rosendrey, and this is my friend Mai," Maria introduced both herself and Mai to the boy.


    "I''m J-Julian Chevalier!" blurted out Julian, clutching the blonde lolita doll to his chest.


    "Well Julian, it''s nice to meet you, and if you don''t mind, we would be happy to have you join our little group. By the way, want some macaroons and cake?" Once again Julian felt that warm feeling that had sprouted in his heart and began to spread, bobbing his head up and down adorably as he took a seat that was close by Maria. Taking out his own lunchbox, the three children began enjoying their lunch together.


    From afar, a certain redhead was taking a stroll and also trying to evade his fangirls, when he caught sight of a familiar face. "Maria?" When Richard said her name, a smile began to form on his face, unable to explain this feeling of happiness he always had when he was around her.


    "Oh? Who is this Maria that you speak of?" Upon hearing that sly-fox like voice, Richard was no longer smiling and instead turned his eyes to the person standing beside him. Standing there was a boy around the same age as Richard and even though he was quite young, he held a very beautiful appearance with black hair worn in a small low ponytail, a piercing in his left ear, and dark eyes, that if Maria saw him she would without a doubt dub him as a Japanese Prince.


    "Akihito, did you follow after me?"


    "Of course! After all, best friends always stick together~!"Akihito swung his arm around Richard''s shoulder before taking a look towards the direction he was staring at earlier, only to spot three first-graders and two neko maids.


    "So which one is Maria-chan?" inquired Akihito who Richard could tell was definitely up to no good and was happy when the school bell rung signaling that lunch was now over.


    "No one who you should ever meet. Now let''s go, our next class is about to begin." Dragging Akihiko by the back of his collar, Richard sent one last glance at Maria and sighed at his lost opportunity of speaking with her.


    ''Well there is always tomorrow.''


    ??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??


    "In this world, other than Astral, there exists other nations such as: Sakura Kingdom, Cloud Empire, Azure Kingdom, Fairy Kingdom, and Sun Empire. Oh and there exists one more nation, Gr¨¥ks, though for a thousand years they have isolated themselves from outside affairs." Maria was in History class listening to Ms. Nunnally''s lecture.


    "A thousand years ago, there was an event called, The Great Disaster. A grave threat that almost destroyed the world if not for these six nations banning together and sending out their best magicians and warriors. The battle was fierce, thousands of lives were lost on that day, each nation suffered significant losses. Especially our very own, Astral''s first SS-rank magician and founder of Diamond Academy." Ms. Nunnally showed a grieving expression; whenever one talks about times of war and loss of lives, expressing grief was unavoidable.


    The rest of Maria''s day was spent with Ms. Nunnally giving a lecture on the rest of the remaining subjects, and before she knew it, her first day finally came to an end. Having her onii-sama come and pick her up as she said her goodbyes to both Mai and Julian, before heading back to the Rosendrey manor. After returning home, Maria had changed clothes and decided to assist Lance with making some sweets while explaining her day. Right now the two were in the middle of making Matcha Chocolate-Chip Madeleines.


    "Oh, I also made a new friend today! His name is Julian Chevalier!"


    "Congratulations, ojou-sama~!" Lance offered his congratulations, piping the matcha cookie mixture into a silver madeleine mold pan.


    "I''m happy that my dear Maria made a new friend!" Maria''s mother also sat in the kitchen, snacking on some biscuits, about to take another bite only to pause as she repeated the boy''s last name.


    "Chevalier? Ah, then he''s from the Chevalier household. The son to Marquess Bernard and Marchioness Catherine Chevalier. Such a cute couple~! Maa, does my dear Maria want to know a secret concerning Marchioness Catherine?" There was a crafty glint in the Countess''s eyes, shooting a sly smile towards her cute daughter.


    "Marchioness Catherine... is part of the fairy race; in fact, she is the Fairy King''s younger sister." Maria was not expecting this time-bomb to be dropped on her, almost dropping the bowl of icing in her hand. "Part of the fairy race?! Then doesn''t that mean Julian is also part of the fairy race as well?!"


    "Yep! Oh, didn''t you discover your magic type today?"


    Upon hearing this question, Maria was brought back to the question of why didn''t she possess the same type of magic as the original Maria. "Yeah, I learned that I have Celestial Magic." Maria handed over the matcha icing mixture, unaware of how both Lance and her mother''s eyes grew large at this news.


    "Celestial Magic?" Maria saw her mother''s face marred with a worried expression. "In the past Celestial Magic was a rare and prized magic, but times have changed since then. Maria, as you get older, please promise me that you''ll be careful whenever you use your magic." Seeing such a serious expression on her mother''s usual cheerful and overly emotional face, Maria nodded her head. Confused about why her mother would make such an expression.


    ''Is there something wrong with having Celestial Magic?''

 14 Magic Summoning

    "Congratulations, Goldstein-san, you managed to summon forth your light magic!" Ms. Nunnally congratulated Mai who expressed a proud grin. It was a new day and the class was in the middle ofBasic Art of Magic class course as today''s lesson was about them summoning forth their magic. So far Mai was the eighth person to have successfully summoned forth her magic; a bright yet small ball of light could be seen floating in the palm of her hand.


    "Let''s see, next on the list is Snow-san!" announced Ms. Nunnally as gracefully making her way forward was the famous Beauty of Winter. Standing expressionlessly in front of the class and taking no heed to Ms. Nunnally''s instructions, in a matter of seconds a sphere of water formed in her hand. Water which suddenly transformed itself into an ice globe, showing off her Bloodline Magic which was Ice Magic.


    "Very good! Very good! Now let''s see... Can I have Rosendrey-san come down next?" Maria felt nothing but nerves when she heard her name get called, though felt a little happy with the warm support Mai gave her. Maria was making her way up front just as Elsa was making her way back to her seat. Throwing cold glare at Maria back, who felt a shiver run down her spine for some odd reason.


    "Okay, now clear your mind and concentrate on that tingling feeling you feel in your body. That tingling feeling is your magic and you need to draw it out. The only way you can do that is if your mind is clear and you concentrate." Maria listened to Ms. Nunnally''s instruction, closing her eyes and clearing her mind as she began to concentrate on that tingling feeling she felt pulsing deep within her.


    Sweat dripped down her brow as Maria had a hard time grasping that tingling feeling to summon forth. Everytime she grasped it, it kept slipping from her reach, making her frustrated. ''Alright, Maria, you got this! Calm down! Calm down! Calm down! Gotta keep your head clear and concentrate,'' Maria repeatedly told herself, forehead covered in sweat, minutes passing by until finally, Maria got a firm hold on that tingling feeling.


    She cracked open her eyelids just in time to see a bright, shiny, red light emitting from the palm of her hand. In just a few seconds, the light vanished and Maria felt something warm lying in her palm. Bringing her palm up to her face, Maria was shocked to see a small, marquise cut, bright red jewel.


    Basking in the light made it seem as if the jewel was on fire, pulsing like a heartbeat in the palm of her hand. Wide-eyed emerald eyes stared down at the jewel with utter confusion. ''A... A ruby?!'' Maria mentally exclaimed.


    ??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??


    "Whatever Celestial being you summoned seems to still be in its dormant state," answered Julian, who today wasn''t stuttering whenever he talked to them. It was now lunch and the group of three was sitting in their same spot from last time as Maria was staring at the ruby jewel that she had summoned, feeling it pulsing under her skin as if it was a human heart.


    "I wonder what type of Celestial being it is. Hopefully something strong, big, scary, and tough looking!" suggested Mai as Maria and Julian couldn''t help but have their imagination run wild, each conjuring a different image based on the description Mai listed out.


    ''Denied!'' Just the image alone put a sour expression on Maria''s face while Julian trembled in fear at the image he conjured. Wanting to get rid of such an image, Maria found her gaze pointed down towards the lolita doll Julian was clutching to his chest.


    "What a pretty doll. Have you given her a name yet?" Maria asked Julian, whose cheeks turned a light shade of red, bashfully holding his head down.


    "This is the first doll I ever created with my own two hands. Though she might not be perfect, she''s special to me. So... I''m thinking of n-naming her MM..."


    "MM? Why that name?" Mai stuffed a crispy chicken nugget in her mouth, while Maria took a bite of the strawberry shortcake that was placed in her lunch box.


    "''C-Cause both of your names s-start with M-M and b-because you a-are the first friends I e-ever had." Upon hearing this, both Maria''s and Mai''s eyes instantly became watery.


    "Ah, what a pure heart." Mai placed a hand over her chest.


    "Such innocence. I must protect at all cost!" declared a crying Maria as Shirone and Kuroka tried to wipe away their ojou-sama''s tears. Julian felt bashful at their overdramatic reactions yet also very happy. Each was in their own little world that neither took notice of the shadow that loomed over the table beside Maria.


    "Maria-chan, why are you crying?" Upon hearing a certain familiar voice, Maria''s tears instantly came to a stop as she turned her head towards the direction the voice was coming from and saw Richard standing beside her.


    "Richard-sama?! What are you doing here?" inquired Maria.


    "Yes, Ri-chan, what are you doing here?" questioned another voice that Maria was definitely not familiar with. Simultaneously the group turned their heads towards their uninvited guest, seeing a boy around Richard''s age whose feet were propped up on the table, leaning back in his chair that was standing on two legs, casually eating a piece of Maria''s strawberry shortcake.


    ''Just when did he get there?! No! Scratch that! Just who is this guy?!'' exclaimed Maria, looking a bit grieved to see that the uninvited guest had stolen a bite of her dessert.


    "Akihito, I told you not to follow me!" Richard expressed an annoyed glance that was aimed towards the boy who was named Akihito.


    ''Akihito? Hmm, I don''t think his name ever popped up in the original story,'' mused Maria, only to have her vision blocked by a beautiful face. Emerald eyes made contact with obsidian.


    "Ah, so you''re Maria-chan! How adorable~!" Maria was not happy when Akihito reached out and began pinching her cheeks; luckily she was saved by Richard who snatched Akihito away from her. Aiming a terrifying smile towards the boy, he said, "Akihito, please do not touch Maria-chan."


    Seeing such a terrifying smile, Maria couldn''t help but blankly think, ''Wow, so Richard-sama does have a dark side.'' Maria was soon brought from out of her thoughts when she felt trembling fingers grasp hold of her hand and saw that they came from Julian.


    ''Ah, the little lamb must not be used to being in the presence of a big-shot like Richard-sama.'' Grasping hold of his hand, Maria offered him a smile that soothed his nerves.


    "Julian, this is my friend Richard-sama. Don''t worry, he is very kind," persuaded Maria, feeling the precious lamb relax as he timidly shot a look at Richard, who in return offered a charming smile.


    "Those who are friends with Maria-chan, I''ll also consider as friends."


    "Ah, so does that make me friends with Maria-chan? After all, I am your best friend!" happily stated Akihito, only to once again receive a terrifying smile from Richard-sama.


    "Akihito, please stop yapping your mouth. Your presence does nothing but taint the innocence." Seeing their interaction towards one another brought forward a blank expression from Maria. Shirone and Kuroka silently continued serving the youngsters juice or tea as Mai was happily stuffing her mouth with meat. From afar, a certain someone took in the sight of her beloved idol conversing with a group of first-years. Gripping the hem of her dress harshly, she vexfully muttered,


    "Maria... Rosendrey."


    At that same time, another person stumbled upon the group, narrowing his eyes on two people. The person standing at his side pushed up his glasses as he saw what had caught his friend''s attention. "It seems that your cousin and Earl Rosendrey''s daughter are quite close," spoke four-eyes as the raven-haired boy shoved his hands into his pockets and expressionlessly said,


    "...Foolish."

 15 Awaken

    "Alright, students, for today''s exercise you will be learning ways to defend and attack using your magic." Maria was standing outside with the rest of her classmates as residing a few feet behind Ms.Nunnally was a vast forest. The students were dressed in their PE uniform which was composed of sweatpants and a matching jacket, along with a plain white t-shirt and tennis shoes. It was now time for PE, better known as Defense and Enhance Magic Training, listening to Ms. Nunnally explain today''s activity.


    "Combat is one of the best ways for one to learn how to utilize their magic which is why all of you after entering the forest will be facing off against the cute golems that I have created for today''s exercise. Those devices on your wrist will keep score of the number of golems you defeated, and the one with the highest score will be today''s winner!" Maria stared down at the device on her wrist that reminded her of a wristband watch; the band was pink, and instead of showing the time, it only displayed one single digit which was zero.


    Those devices on your wrist will keep score of the number of golems you defeated, and the one with the highest score will be today''s winner!" Maria stared down at the device on her wrist that reminded her of a wristband watch; the band was pink, ...


    "Though no extreme physical damage will be done to you, please do be careful~!" advised Ms. Nunnally before the eager students rushed off into the forest. Some going off on their own, while others formed groups.


    "Alright, team, we got one rule and only one! We charge in and attack! Be as ruthless and merciless as you can be, you understand?! And while doing so never leave a man behind!" Julian, Maria, and Mai were together, the latter pacing in front of them as Maria couldn''t help but imagine Mai in military clothes as she automatically took the position of leader.


    "I don''t think she''s taking this as a simple training exercise," Maria whispered over to Julian who nodded his head in agreement. Sticking together, the three traveled farther into the vast forest that was dominated by magnolia, rhododendron, and beech trees, twinkling lights bursting through their crowns. Swooping vines were suspended from occasional trees; a range of flowers could be randomly spotted in various corners.


    From a distance, they could hear some of the students already in the midst of battle, though things got quiet as they traveled farther north. Upon hearing a rustling of leaves that came from somewhere nearby, all three instantly became alert, cautiously watching as the shadow of a figure slowly revealed itself which resulted in their eyes becoming large and their jaws hitting the ground.


    "We''re so screwed," muttered Maria. Standing in front of the trembling group of three was a towering eight-foot tall gorilla golem, made out of black rocks, bearing its teeth as its roar sent their hair flying back.


    "Run... Run!" shouted Maria as the group took off, running for their lives, though when they looked back, they screamed when they saw that the gorilla golem was gaining on their tails.


    "What do we do?! We can''t possibly defeat that thing! It''s impossible! We are doomed to fail!" cried Julian.


    "We need a plan! Wait, does anyone have some bananas?" asked Mai, and it took nothing but a second for Maria to follow where Mai''s mind was heading and she wanted to slap some sense into her blonde friend.


    "It''s a golem! I don''t think a banana is going to work!" yelled Maria; the group continued to run for their lives until one of them tripped. The one who tripped just so happened to be Julian; both Mai and Maria stopped just in time to see the gorilla golem charge towards him and was about to smash him under its large rock fist. Upon seeing this, the one who acted first was Mai who cried out to Julian, running towards him.


    "Luce Stellarum Protector!" Mai called out once she reached him as Maria watched as a glowing bright yellow star appeared underneath the ground of both Mai and Julian. The star emitted a bright glow of light that when the gorilla golem was about to smash his fist against them, it worked as a magical barrier that protected both Mai and Julian from the gorilla golem''s attack.


    ''Thank God for Mai! If she didn''t react in time, I don''t even want to think about what would''ve happened, though I gotta admit, since when did she begin practicing spells?'' Maria placed a hand over her beating heart, feeling it racing underneath her touch. Though she was unable to catch a break once she saw sweat dripping from Mai''s forehead as the gorilla golem continued to pound his fist against the barrier.


    "I can''t... hold on much longer. Run, Maria! I can''t hold this thing back any longer!" cried Mai. The sight of her giving nothing but her all just to protect a friend, even going back against her own words from earlier as she told Maria to leave them behind, made Maria feel nothing but admiration. Amongst the fear that was consuming her soul, her admiration for Mai was what kept her standing on her feet.


    Maria wasn''t going to lie, a part of her indeed wanted to run away, but that part also disgusted her. Yes, she was afraid, downright terrified! How was this supposed to be a training exercise for first-year elementary students?! Maria wanted to shout, recalling how in stories, the author tended to make everything all fun and exciting when faced with danger. Too bad for Maria because at the moment she felt neither of those two emotions.


    I don''t know what to do!


    Neither do I have a plan...


    But I do know one thing, and that is...


    Clenching her fists tight, Maria narrowed her eyes, braced her feet and set off running in their direction. This action caught both Julian and Mai by surprise as Maria shouted, "Like I would ever leave a friend behind! Remember, that was your number one rule. Friends always stick together, no matter what!"


    Maria blindly continued to charge forward as the magical barrier began to crack and after another attack, it shattered to pieces. The gorilla golem roared and was ready to smash both Mai and Julian into smithereens, but Maria soon reached them and when she did, she stood protectively in front of them with arms stretched out wide.


    ''All my life, it was only my grandma and I. Never have I had a true friend like the ones in anime that I always dreamed of having. Real friends that you can laugh and talk with, true friends that will never leave you behind, even when things are tough.'' "I may not have known you guys long, but just talking with you, I feel as if I''ve known you for a lifetime and just for that... I want to protect you!"


    Maria was so bent on protecting her friends that she was unaware of the bright red glow of light her left pants'' pocket emitted. Not until a small glowing object flew out of her pocket and right in front of her. Maria was surprised once she saw that it was the Ruby jewel she had summoned earlier in class today.


    The jewel floated in the air, producing wild flames that lashed out like a whip, hitting the gorilla golem. Soon spiral rings of flames surrounded the ruby which bursted apart, and within the rings of flames, Maria was able to spot a small figure floating in the center. After the flames dispersed, Maria saw that the three-inch chibi figure had bright, fiery red hair, twin tails with buns on top, and large, ruby-colored, fierce eyes. The chibi figure was definitely female, seeing how her wardrobe consisted of a red cheongsam battle-style outfit with bold gold accents.


    "The name is Ruby, a Celestial Pixie! You may not look like much, but it was your passionate feelings for your friends that have awoken me. Now, how shall I be in service to you, my master?" questioned the Celestial Pixie, Ruby. Maria, on the other hand, was speechless, eyes glued onto the floating pixie.


    ''This day just got a whole lot weirder.''

 16 Challenge

    S-So this is a Celestial Summon...'' Maria continued to stare wide-eyed at the floating pixie until a loud roar from the gorilla golem brought her out of her thoughts. "Since I''m your master, I order you to destroy that rampaging gorilla behind you!"


    "Alright, maybe you''re not that dull after all!" grinned the pixie, turning around as a spiral of flames formed around her hands, that were now holding dual crimson fans with decorative gold details and tassels hanging from the bottom.


    "It''s been a long time since I was able to unwind. Let me show you the power of my flames~!" With just a single wave of her fan, a whip of fire lashed out and cut the golem right in half. Its dismembered rock body fell to the ground as the number one appeared on Maria''s watch.


    ''Wow, didn''t think it would be taken out so easily with just one attack. Then again, this is just a training exercise for elementary students.'' Maria stared at the chunk of black rock the lied resting on the ground before turning her attention over to Ruby.


    "Thank you for saving me and my friends," she said to the pixie, who couldn''t help but sigh in pity at how easily the golem was taken out by her attack.


    "Please, even if you didn''t call me, that thing was never going to do any real damage. I can sense the intention of its owner. It was probably only ordered to scare you into using your magic to defend yourselves. Tch, and here I go thinking that after so many years I could finally have a worthy challenge!" snapped a not-so-happy Ruby as Maria sweatdropped at the pixie''s attitude.


    "Are you guys okay?" Maria asked her two friends, only to be engulfed in a hug by Mai.


    The girl was bawling as she said, "Maria~! I didn''t know you felt that way about us! I''m also happy to have you as a friend! You''re the absolute best!" Maria smiled softly at Mai, watching as Julian walked up to her next.


    "Thank you both for saving me... Though it is my fault that you almost got hurt. S-Sorry. Sorry for being so useless-" Julian suddenly felt a smack of pain that landed upside his head which came from Maria''s hand.


    "You''re not useless; never say that about yourself as everyone''s got their own strengths and weaknesses," Maria sternly told Julian, looking him face to face as Mai retracted herself. "You just got to work a little harder and find your own true potential. Besides, that could''ve been any one of us." Maria smiled warmly at Julian, patting the little blushing lamb on the head, who felt touched by her words.


    "What Maria said is true, Julian. You are one of us now, so we always got ya back no matter what! Only real friends stick together no matter the situation." Mai placed her hand on Julian''s shoulder, backing up what Maria said just a moment ago.


    "Mmm, I love this excellent show of true comrades! You may be youngsters, but your hearts are in a good place." Both Julian and Mai jumped a little when Ruby appeared in the middle of their group.


    "Um, guys, say hello to Ruby, my Celestial Pixie," Maria introduced Ruby to both Mai and Julian, who had their eyes glued to the floating pixie, who merely smirked as she did a dramatic presentation of summoning her dual fans, flames dancing around her, before striking a pose.


    "Nice to meet my master''s honorable comrades!" grinned Ruby.


    "Nice job, Maria, you finally awoke your Celestial Summon!" Mai pumped her fists in the air, congratulating Maria.


    "I''m very happy for you, Maria-chan~!" smiled Julian as Maria, upon hearing such praise, couldn''t help but feel a little bashful.


    "Maa, it''s thanks to you guys that this happened in the first place. Now, let''s go and see if we can discover some more golems that are hopefully much smaller than the gorilla," advised Maria. The group set off and indeed ran into a few more golems. Mai took out a tiger golem with yet another light spell.


    When asked, Mai replied by saying, "These are only D-Rank: Light Spells taught to me by onee-sama. If you want to see something really cool, you should watch her train as she can even perform B-Ranks despite not being a Middle School student." Just by hearing Mai talk, one could tell that she really looked up to her older sister.


    ''I expect nonetheless from the future ''Empress'' and Diamond Academy''s most talented female student.'' Maria thought back to how the book spoke of Isis''s peerless abilities and wasn''t that shocked by the information she learned from Mai. After they ran into a few bird golems, that annoyingly kept pecking their heads, Julian managed to put them to sleep by using his Sound Magic.


    "This is the only spell that I know, and this is my first time succeeding in using it," Julian embarrassingly told them, scratching his head. By now all of them had the same number of defeats which was one. Though they were once again on the run for their lives as this time chasing them was a cheetah golem that was fast on its feet.


    Even when Ruby attacked it with fire, it was fast and agile enough to dodge her attacks; neither did Julian''s one Sound Magic spell put it to sleep nor could Mai''s Light Spell land a hit. Before either noticed, they soon found themselves cornered; the cheetah ran in to attack, only for a voice to call out just in the nick of time.


    "Bullet Aqua!" The group watched as bullets of water shot right through the golem cheetah, which soon turned into mud. Looking towards where the attack came from, walking forward they saw that their savior was none other than Elsa Snow. Maria was first to notice the digital number her wristwatch band was displaying.


    ''Wait a sec... She took out nine golems on her own?! When it took most of our efforts just to take out one?!'' exclaimed Maria, confused whether to feel awed or frightened at the girl''s outstanding abilities. While Maria was in her own thoughts, Elsa showed no regard for the three she just saved, until she saw that Maria was amongst the three. Seeing those emerald eyes brought back flashbacks to the night of the banquet.


    Recalling how the dear Richard-sama she admired interacted with Maria, a girl who was rumored to be obsessed with the Crown Prince. Yet she could not understand why Richard seemed to act so close to this strange girl, briefly having a flashback to the other day when he even visited Maria and her group of friends around lunchtime. These memories brought forth an unpleasant feeling to Elsa who stalked forward in Maria''s direction.


    "When I asked at the banquet, I did not get a reply. So I''ll ask you. Just what is your relationship with Richard-sama? Answer me!" the Ice Princess demanded as Maria flinched from the look of hate that was brewing in Elsa''s eyes.


    "Richard-sama and I are only friends! That it!" answered Maria yet this did not disperse Elsa''s feelings, if anything it only ignited them.


    "Lies! Ever since I first laid eyes on Richard he always acted noble, elegant, and despite his kindness, kept himself at a distance from other people. But with you... there is something different. The noble Richard that I admire has never looked at me the same way he does with you!" yelled an angry Elsa.


    ''Oh no... I don''t like the direction of where things are headed,'' dreaded Maria, feeling an ominous premonition as Elsa glared at Maria.


    "I don''t know what you''ve done, but I refuse to let my dear Richard-sama be bewitched by a fool like you! I challenge you to a match, Maria Rosendrey!" boldly declared Elsa as Maria couldn''t help but think,


    ''Damn it! I knew it!''

 17 Accusation

    Right when Maria heard those words she instantly responded with, "I refuse!" There was no way she was going to face against Diamond Academy''s Beauty of Winter, the same person who just so happened to take out nine golems in the past fifteen minutes while Maria was barely able to take out one. She knew when one was put in a losing situation and did not see herself coming out on top.


    "Why do you refuse? Is it that you are too scared to face me?" taunted Elsa, acting all arrogant as she stood before Maria, who was going to answer with a ''yes'' if a certain blonde didn''t step up to defend her.


    "As if Maria would ever be scared of you, Icy! Maria, don''t let this Ice Princess get to you! Use your Celestial Summon and show her who''s boss!" cheered Mai


    ''Mai, I love you, but please stop talking!'' silently begged Maria, hoping the ground under her feet would just open up and swallow her and her friends


    "Since your friend talks so big, why don''t you face me? I refuse to let some who''s untalented and weak be so close to Richard-sama! So, Maria Rosendrey, either you face me..." Elsa held out her hand; a small whirlpool of water formed, giving Maria a bad feeling. "...or I will make you. Aqua Iaculator!" she threatened as projectiles of water shot out from the whirlpool. Maria was lucky to have dodged, pushing her friends out of harm''s way.


    "Listen, I don''t want to fight you!" shouted Maria, but Elsa was no longer listening, calling out the water spell that took out the cheetah. Maria ran, lucky enough to dodge the attack while hearing Mai rooting for her in the background. ''Crap! Just how did I land myself in such a huge mess? Elsa is no longer listening to me. I hardly believe that I can win against her,... and Mai, put away those poms-poms!'' From where she hid behind a beech tree, Maria was able to spot Mai on the sidelines with Julian, waving a pair of pom-poms in the air, cheering her on.


    "If you won''t come out and face me, then I''ll make you! Flagellum Aqua!" Elsa summoned forth a whip of water that lashed out and sliced the tree Maria was hiding behind.


    "Master, if you do not give me an order, and quickly, I fear that you may suffer real damage. This girl''s ability is on a whole different level compared to you three." Ruby floated nearby Maria''s head, speaking in a serious voice.


    "I really don''t want to fight her, but I guess I have no choice. Ruby, the next time she attacks, I want you to attack as well, but... I also don''t want you to cause her any serious harm." Ruby looked down at her little master, going over the orders she just gave to her and thought,


    ''Little Master, your heart is truly too kind; even though those are your wishes, your enemy does not share the same.'' When Elsa tried to attack again with her water whip, Ruby interfered by summoning her own fire whip, which dismembered Elsa''s water whip, leaving a scorching mark on the ground where she stood that frightened the ojou-sama as she fell on her bottom. Icy blue eyes immediately glared at the ruby-eyed pixie that she just now took notice of; Maria stood a few feet in front of her.


    "I did not wish to fight you but you forced my hand." Maria hoped that this was enough to get Elsa to walk away as she truly did not wish to drag this battle out any longer. Bangs casted a cold shadow over the Beauty of Winter''s face; hands buried themselves in the dirt as she balled up her fists.


    "I refuse to back down like this... I refuse to be defeated by a foolish girl like you, Maria Rosendrey!" Maria stumbled back at the frosty look Elsa shot her way, feeling a cold chill run down her back as Elsa stood up. A cold aura was being emitted from her body; ice, taking the form of a rose, appeared in front of her. Upon seeing that beautiful ice rose, warning bells were ringing inside of Maria, who took a cautious step back.


    "I refuse to let you steal Richard-sama away from me!" screamed Elsa as the ice rose scattered into shiny ice petals that hurled in Maria''s direction. With nowhere else to hide, Maria felt cold dread seep into her heart as Mai and Julian cried out to her. Eyes opened wide as those ice-petals raced closer towards her, only to have them blocked all of a sudden by Ruby, who used her dual crimson fans to summon forth a large tornado of flames that erupted from the ground, engulfing all of the ice-petals that metaled into nothingness.


    Both girls were caught by surprise, eyes glued to the tornado of flames, only to be hit next with a sensation of fatigue, legs losing all strength, knees hitting the ground at the same time. "Looks like you both have reached your limits, Little Master." Ruby flew over to Maria; emerald eyes widened in shock when she saw that Ruby''s body was sparkling and turning transparent.


    "That girl most likely has never seriously tapped into her Bloodline Magic. Bloodline Magic requires a lot of practice and concentration. You, on the other hand, share a connection with me as I draw my powers from you. When it comes to Celestial Magicians, those with a large magic reserve can unlock the true potential of their Celestial Summon. Though those with little magic reserve are limited and can not unlock their Celestial Summon''s true potential," informed Ruby. Those in the area were unaware of the attention they gained from the other students who were nearby and saw the blaze of flames; there was even a few who misunderstood and only oversaw the last few seconds of the battle.


    "There is also the fact that those with little magic reserves cannot control their Celestial Summon all the time, putting a strain on the magician and if carried on long enough, will cripple the magician. Making it so that they can never use magic again or in a rare case, turn against the magician and kill them," Ruby expressed severely. Hearing this only then did Maria understand her mother''s reaction and warning as Ruby continued on with her explanation.


    "So those with a large magic reserve are lucky while those with little magic reserves are not?" inquired Maria


    "In this world, there are only a few who possess Celestial Magic, and those who do are unable to unlock their Celestial Summon''s true potential. The reserve of magic that lies within you is unlike anything I have ever seen, but at the moment you are still too young and untrained to deeply tap into it." Right before Ruby disappeared, she said to Maria,


    "I see unlimited possibilities that lie in store for you, Little Master. If ya ever are in trouble again, just give me a call. I''ll send all your enemies ablaze!" The only thing that remained of Ruby was sparkling tiny red stars. Maria felt strength draining from her body, eyelids getting heavy, though right before she could close them, she caught sight of the Crown Prince standing close, silver eyes glaring down at her.


    By now, both Mai and Julian had rushed over and knelt down beside her, worriedly calling out her name. The Crown Prince opened his mouth and said to Maria, "I will be reporting your actions. Be thankful that I will not push for you to be expelled." These words greatly confused Maria, though before she could question what he meant, darkness consumed her world.


    ??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??


    When Maria opened her eyes again, she found herself lying on a bed that was located in a room that reminded her of an infirmary. Just as she sat up, she jumped a little when she finally took notice of a stranger who was sitting beside her bed. The figure was that of a handsome man who looked to be in his early thirties with raven hair and had a hint of blue and obsidian-colored eyes. He was wearing a stylish and sophisticated dark suit as he coldly looked at Maria, who, frightened, couldn''t help but think, ''This man reminds me of a certain anime character.''


    "It has been brought to my attention that you have broken one of this academy''s sacred rules by attacking one of your fellow classmates during a training exercise." Even his voice was cold when he addressed her, yet when Maria heard that she was being accused, she immediately spoke out,


    "But I wasn''t the one who attacked first! I only retaliated when there was no other choice!"


    "Multiple witnesses have stepped forward and confessed to only seeing you attack Ms. Snow. Not only that, the one who brought forth this report was none other than the Crown Prince of our country. Now just which side should I believe?" He penetrated Maria with a cold narrowed gaze; the girl on the bed paled when she heard how it was the Crown Prince who had made the report.


    ''There is no way around it. Those who were witnesses must have only seen the last few seconds of the battle which only ended up backing the Crown Prince''s report. If one was stuck between believing a Daughter of a Count or the Son of the Emperor, they would choose the latter. To save themselves from bringing forth the attention of the royal family, someone must take the blame.'' Maria depressingly stared down at the white blanket that covered her, feeling hopeless at the situation she found herself placed in.


    "Now, what can you possibly say to keep this academy from expelling you?" Maria felt as if another bomb was dropped on her upon hearing that the academy was even thinking of expelling her. Just the thought of how disappointed her parents and onii-san would be, did not sit right with Maria. Never did she want to see such looks, yet what could she possibly say?


    "That''s not true! Maria was not the one who attacked first! That stupid Crown Prince doesn''t know the true facts!" Barging through the open door was both Mai and Julian, both wearing angry and determined faces. Seeing those two faces, Maria felt hot tears burn her eyes and a little hope returned back to her.

 18 Punishmen

    "That stupid mean jerk! It was that Ice Princess who threw the first hit with her water magic. Maria only retaliated ''cause she had too! And when Maria was on the verge of winning-" In the midst of Mai''s explanation, Maria couldn''t help but think,


    ''I don''t think I was on the verge of winning.''


    "That darn Ice Princess unleashed her Bloodline Magic on Maria, who used her Celestial Summon to protect herself. Maria is innocent and that jerk of a prince is lying!" fumed Mai, who wanted to punch a certain Prince in the face. Stepping forward next, Julian, who was usually quivering behind others, stood firm on his feet.


    "Both Mai and myself can testify to Snow-san throwing the first hit and starting the fight that happened between both herself and Maria. It was clearly self-defense, so please do not expel Maria!"


    Summon forth his small ounce of courage, Julian stood up for the girl, who not only came to his aid during their first day of school but also welcomed him, a timid and cowardly boy, with open arms and a kind smile. The same girl who back in the forest could have followed through with Mai''s words and saved herself but ran back towards them and proudly declared,


    ''Friends stick together, no matter what!''


    ''I may not have known you guys long, but just talking with you, I feel as if I''ve known you for a lifetime and just for that... I want to protect you!''


    When Julian heard those words, he felt a deep admiration for Maria, which compared to Mai was very different. Mai was energetic, filled with life, and unyielding. Just her mere presence was bright and blinding, personality both daring and filled with courage. Yet there was a difference when it came to Maria.


    Yes, both girls were kind individuals. Julian felt a sense of empathy with Maria, seeing how neither of them was truly brave or possessed much confidence.


    That was why Julian was so shocked when, instead of running away, Maria rushed forward towards her friends, knowing deep down that she was just as terrified as him. Maria caused Julian to believe that maybe there was a tiny drop of hope for him as well. That maybe... just maybe he could also change and become brave like them, and this was his starting point!


    The man said nothing as he stared at the determined and brave faces of those two first-years who stood before him. He stared at them for a while, before pointing his eyes towards the white curtain that shielded another bed that was placed inside the infirmary.


    "Hmm, I have reached my final judgment, and that is, Maria Rosendrey will be punished with one month of after-school cleaning starting today. Though your friends have spoken up for you, more than eight students have testified against you. Accept your punishment, and all of you return back to class," coldly ordered the man.


    Hearing this, neither Julian nor Mai was happy, and right before they could speak up, Maria got off the bed and stood in front of the man. "Thank you for this punishment. We will now be returning to class." Grabbing her two friends'' hands, the small group of three exited out the door. Once out the door, a figure walked from behind the curtain and stood beside the man.


    "So were they telling truth?" asked a woman that was of average height and build, dark brown hair with bangs that ran down her shoulder blades while the rest of it was pinned back, showing a braid in the shape of a flower pinned to the side of her head. Both of her hands were stuffed inside the pockets of the white doctor''s coat she was wearing.


    "They are..." the man calmly answered.


    "Then why didn''t you just say that from the get-go? Why go and scare those adorable children?" she asked the man.


    "Entertainment." This reply immediately earned the man a hard slap upside the head from the brown-haired woman.


    "You cold sadistic bastard. I''m telling your wife!" fumed the angry nurse as the man paled once he heard those words. If there was one person he feared in this world, it was definitely his energetic and mischievous wife. Releasing a fake cough, he quickly regained his composure from before.


    "But I also did that for their sake as well. If the wrong person got word of this, such a small incident would soon turn disastrous," said the man, rising up from out of his seat.


    "By that, you mean-"


    "Keep it to yourself if you don''t want harm to befall you. That woman has eyes and ears everywhere," the man advised the woman, nodding her head, aware of the person he was hinting towards as she watched him leave the room.


    Sighing to herself, she took a seat in her chair and thought back to those adorable children from earlier. "I wonder what their reaction would be if they knew the person they just confronted was none other than the Headmaster of this academy?"


    To the unawareness of Maria, it didn''t take long for rumors of her shamelessly attacking another student to spread all around the elementary division. This caused others to form twisted and mean things about her as the rumor grew farther and farther away from the actual truth.


    When a certain crimson haired young heir caught wind of this particular rumor, a bitter feeling rose in him, resisting the urge to shut the mouth of all those who were saying such cruel and mean things about Maria.


    "So, do you believe the rumors about sweet Maria-chan? By this time tomorrow, everyone will have a bad impression of her. Poor girl." Walking beside Richard was Akihito, overhearing the words students in the hall were saying about Maria.


    "How cruel~! I can''t believe such a girl would shamelessly attack her own classmate," whispered a girl.


    "That girl''s got to be some kind of extra stupid to attack another student during a training exercise!" joked a boy this time.


    "I have to inform my little sister to stay away from this girl. Who knows when she might attack another student," fearfully said another girl. Richard paused his walking, causing Akihito to stare at him confusedly.


    The young Scarlet heir couldn''t help but recall the night Maria tackled an assassin and risk her own life for his mother''s. Maria probably wasn''t one who thought much with her brain but her heart was in the right place.


    Even after she was attacked, blood trailing down her short, fragile arm, poison seeping into her veins, this small little girl merely reached out her hand and said to his mother, ''Y-You''re a-alive... I managed to do it... I managed... to stop a tragedy. I''m... so happy!'' Her actions were without a doubt reckless, having no regard for own life, yet the only thing that was on her mind was the safety of another.


    So just how could such a selfless and kind-hearted girl become a cruel ojou-sama who shamelessly attacked her classmate for no reason? Unless something about the story was left out, something like the truth. "Oi, Ri-kun, you okay? I might not have known Maria-chan for long, but even I don''t believe such ridiculous rumors," said Akihito.


    Richard looked out towards his left and spotted a rose bush nearby and said, "Such a girl... could never do the things those rumors are saying. I can feel it in my gut."


    Over at the fourth-year hall, a certain older brother was being restrained by Isis, almost punching another boy in the face when he overheard him call his little sister uncalled for names. Luckily Isis caught and dragged him inside an empty class that was mostly used for artwork.


    "You must calm yourself. Your actions almost made things worse for Maria."


    "But the things people are saying about her... How can I not get upset!? Someone has set up my sister and is ruining her reputation. Maria may have a temper but not even she would shamelessly attack another student for no reason!" Michael was livid and deeply worried about his little sister.


    "I understand but lashing out will not help. The thing she needs now is your undying support. So keep it together, not for your sake, but for your sister''s." Isis placed her hand on his shoulder as he dejectedly nodded his head.


    ''Seems like my vision is about to come true. Hang in there, Maria.''

 19 Carnival

    "Look at her."


    "She''s so heartless."


    "I guess you really can''t judge a book by the cover."


    "I remember her from the night of the banquet. The lucky girl who got to dance with Richard-sama!"


    "No way; that was her?! Now I definitely detest her."


    Walking down the school hall, these were the types of phrases that were being thrown Maria''s way. At first, Maria believed that after a few days or at least a month everyone would have forgotten the incident between her and Eira Snow, only to be proven wrong.


    Sitting at her seat that was close to the window, taking off her pink white fur-trimmed coat, Maria was now in her second semester. The chilly air of February still had people all buttoned and bundled up in their jackets and scarfs.


    Even after a few months had passed since Eira provoked her into a fight, students were still throwing her dirty looks and saying mean things behind her back. Believing she was the one who started it, even the truth was the exact opposite.


    Maria would admit that it hurt in the beginning when threw her ugly looks, but after having Mai stand up for her that one time, when a couple of boys tried to play a prank on her by dousing her in cold water despite the winter weather, Maria decided to ignore all of the negativity and instead concentrate on the positive.


    Such as her friends who had her back and stood by her side, along with loving and understanding parents, who after they were told of what happened had to be restrained from barging into the school and making a scene. Even her overprotective brother stood at her side, causing Maria to burst out crying on the day they were told the news.


    Hundreds of students were against her yet she still had this small group of people who believed in her. Happy that during such a hard time she still had people who supported her.


    "Maria~!" Maria was brought out of her thoughts by a warm hug that came from Mai. Standing behind Mai was Julian.


    "Morning, Maria~!" he greeted before taking a seat beside Mai. Since the start of the new semester, the group of friends all sat together now. Classes began like usual; during some of Ms.Nunnally''s lecture Maria would admit to halfway falling asleep, only to snap awake when she heard Mai snoring away beside her.


    Maria couldn''t help but sigh when she saw poor Julian trying to wake up Mai; the blonde was sleeping like a log, leaving Julian''s attention in vain. Once Mai fell asleep, nothing would wake her up; not even an earthquake could wake this girl. When fourth period finally rolled around, Ms. Nunnally was going over a few beasts-type magical creatures, discussing their rankings and abilities.


    "Slime, class-pawn creatures, ranked at the bottom of the food chain. Slimes can stretch their body to unbelievable shapes, sizes, and have different abilities depending on the color. For example, Green Slime can excrete acid. Blue Slime''s are water-based while Red Slime''s are fire-based."


    Ms.Nunnally had them open their books; on the page to the left was the picture of the different color slimes, with its information written on the bottom.


    "Another thing to know about slimes is that they can regenerate their body back to normal shape as long as one of their cells remain, so slimes cannot truly die unless you break their core. By collecting their core, one can use them to gain an endless supply of the slime''s liquid to use in potions. Slimes are very protective of its core, which functions as its heart, and would do its utmost to protect it," explained Ms. Nunnally.


    "It is very important to know the strength, ranking, and abilities of magical beast-type creatures, seeing as for your final test and in order for you to move on to the next grade, each of you will be facing off against one. This is your final exam which will be held in front of the whole Elementary Division along with its staff of teachers and even the Headmaster will be included," excitedly explained Ms.Nunnally. Too bad Maria felt none of that excitement, feeling a swarm of butterflies in her stomach.


    "I''m screwed." She banged her head against her desk. By the time school was finished, the three friends were walking together when Mai made a suggestion.


    "Hey, how about we go to the Amare Carnival that''s in town this month?"


    "Isn''t that carnival mainly for couples?" inquired Julian. The Amare Carnival was a Valentine-themed carnival that only opened in February, a fun place for couples to go and have fun at, though children and families were also welcomed to come.


    "Oh, that reminds me, Valentine''s Day is tomorrow," said Maria.


    "So what? Who cares about Valentine''s Day and stupid couples; I want to go and have fun. So let''s all meet up at the carnival~!"


    No longer waiting for their reply, Mai began making plans. After thinking it over, Maria felt that it was a good idea. Arriving home, she informed her mother of her plans, who allowed her to go. Micheal also decided to come along after overhearing his little sister''s plans.


    Currently, Maria was upstairs getting changed into the outfit Shirone picked out for her as usual while Kuroka did her hair. Once finished, Maria looked in the mirror and saw herself wearing a white turtleneck sweater shirt with a pink and red diamond tile jumper skirt that had dark pink ruffles underneath.


    On her legs were white cotton knee-length socks with a pair of pink and red boots on her feet. Hanging from her ears were a pair of pink bow earrings; strawberry red gems that were heart-shaped and had a gold border as were worn around her neck was a matching necklace. A red headband with a pattern of pink hearts was placed on her head as she was wearing her hair down for today.


    "Ojou-sama, you look adorable~!" squealed Kuroka as Shirone nodded her head in agreement. Maria thanked them, and after her mother took at least twenty pictures of her, leaving Kuroka and Shirone at home, she walked out the door with her brother. Maria didn''t want to take the carriage, seeing how the carnival was located in the capital city and wasn''t that far away, plus this gave her some time to do some sightseeing.


    Since Valentine''s Day was tomorrow, lots of stores were promoting Valentine-goods to every couple that walked the streets, which were a lot. There were even a few families out on the street today, but many young couples could be seen everywhere. Such as in stores, restaurants, and even just wandering the streets.


    Soon they reached the carnival as Maria spotted a ferris-wheel far off in the distance, along with a bunch of other rides that she felt herself itching to try out. The food had her mouth-watering as everything was pink and red with hearts everywhere.


    Maria didn''t have to wait long for her friends, hearing Mai shout her name, before engulfing her in a hug. Looking towards the direction Mai came from, Maria saw Isis along with Julian who ran over to the two girls. "My mother felt better if I came along with Mai," said Isis. After paying for the admission fee, the group decided on what they should do first.


    "I say we get meat first!" suggested Mai.


    "We should go to the dessert stands," said Maria.


    "I say the gift shops," added Julian.


    "I suggest the rides first," spoke the fourth voice, catching everyone off guard as they turned their heads toward the direction of that voice. And who did they see standing there?


    "Ah, it''s you again!" exclaimed Maria.

 20 Love is in the Air

    Standing there grinning like the Cheshire cat, shooting them a wave, was none other than Akihito, dressed in stylish clothes that were suited for the cold weather. "Ohayo, Maria-chan and Maria-chan friends~!" cheerfully greeted Akihito. He ignored the dumbfounded looks the group was shooting him, especially those who did not know of him.


    "Maria, do you know this strange boy?" Micheal bent over to whisper in his little sister''s ear, feeling uncertain of this strange boy who suddenly appeared out of thin air.


    "You can relax, Micheal, he''s a friend of Richard-sama," Maria reassured her brother, though once the red-haired Scarlet heir''s name was mentioned, an irritable scowl appeared on his face.


    ''Something about that Scarlet heir just doesn''t sit right with me,'' thought the overprotective older brother, whose frown deepened when the Scarlet heir suddenly appeared beside his strange mysterious friend.


    "Richard-sama, you''re here as well?!" Maria smiled towards the young Scarlet heir, who smiled charmingly at the cute brunette.


    "Akihito was the one who wanted to come here, and without my permission, dragged me along." Behind that charming smile, Maria could sense a slight amount of irritation that was aimed towards Akihito, though the other was oblivious to it.


    "And isn''t it a good thing that I did as we got to see Maria-chan and her friends... and also two other people that I don''t know..." Akihito pointed his gaze to the two older siblings that came along to watch over their respective younger sibling.


    "Hello there, I''m Isis, Mai''s older sister." Isis gracefully introduced herself, only to be blocked by Micheal, who appeared before her, glaring at the two boys.


    "I''m Maira''s older brother, and if you ever think of harming her or making her cry, I will end you," threatened Micheal, feeling an urge of distrust towards these two boys, a feeling which he would only understand sometime in the far future. Where he would later blame himself for not disposing of the sister-stealing pest when he had the chance.


    "Please ignore the siscon. How about we enjoy some rides first, before getting any food into our stomachs? That way we eliminate the chances of anyone getting sick," kindly suggested Isis, pushing Micheal out of the way as the children agreed to her suggestion.


    Seeing his best friend not taking his side, Micheal couldn''t help but mope. "Isis, you''re supposed to be on my side."


    "As if, siscon," she sassily retorted, leading the children to a cute and fun tea-cup ride. Maria found herself sitting in a pink heart-themed teacup, sitting right across from Richard. Mai, Julian, and Akihito were seated together in a white and red cup, while her brother and Isis were paired together in another, Micheal shooting a glare over at Richard.


    Maria felt a little nervous sitting across from Richard when she heard him begin to speak. "It''s really good to see you again, after everything that happened. I had wanted to see you right after it happened, but certain things kept me away. So please allow me to say sorry; never once did I believe those rumors. I know you are a good person who would never recklessly attack another classmate without justified reason," Richard sincerely told Maria. The brunette honestly felt touched to hear such words for him, beaming a bright smile at him.


    "Thank you for believing in me, Richard-sama. You truly are a good friend~!"


    Richard didn''t know why, but seeing that smile that lit up her face, and how she was able to hear how he never doubted her, brought forth a warm fuzzy feeling that enveloped his heart. A sudden spark of desire was suddenly ignited from within and that was to always have Maria trust him and to always see her smiling.


    After taking a break from rides, the group went over to a stand that was selling these Valentine-themed waffle ice-cream cones. When Maria caught sight of this, she immediately felt her sweet tooth acting up and asked her brother to buy her one. Once in her hands, Maria''s big emerald eyes ogled the tasty, eye-catching treat in her hand.


    The cone was dipped in chocolate and pink sprinkles. Maria picked vanilla swirl ice cream as her flavor, topping it off with pink and chocolate fudge, pink edible pearls, a bark of peppermint chocolate, and a huge pink icing sugar cookie shaped like a heart.


    "It''s beautiful~!" Maria was in a state of awe, drool shamelessly running down the side of her mouth. When she reached out and took the first taste, Maria swore she saw heaven and nearly passed out from how delicious it tasted. She was so busy on cloud nine that she missed when Akihito slid over and took both a bite of her cookie and a lick of her ice-cream.


    "Mmm, it does taste delicious~!" Only when he made this announcement did Maria take notice of the bite mark in her cookie and Akihito''s presence next to her; putting the pieces together, she understood what happened.


    "You stole a bite of my dessert from me again, didn''t you?"


    "Yep~! But don''t worry, I''ll repay you!" He sent the fuming and glaring Maria a wink, upon hearing of him repaying her, Maria dropped the anger and turned happy.


    "You promise~?" She held out her pinky, and he shook it with his own, ignoring the heated glares that both an older brother and a certain best-friend were sending him. After browsing around for a while, Akihito walked off with Maria to a nearby dessert cafe. Not wanting to be left behind, Mai grabbed Julian''s wrist and ran off to catch up with the two.


    "Wait for us!"


    The place they entered showed a bunch of happy couples sitting inside. The maids were wearing these cute cupid-maid costumes; one of them led Maria''s group to a booth that was by a window. "Maria, how about we get the Couple''s Sweetheart Parfait?" suggested Akihito, once again not paying attention to the icy-glares of death that were aimed his way.


    It took Maria one look at the picture to agree, which was unfortunate for the two males who were hoping that she didn''t. Mai was a bit unhappy when she didn''t see any meat related items on the menu but perked up when the maid pointed to takoyaki and ordered that. Julian ordered a bubble tea and dangos; Isis ordered the same. Micheal and Richard settled for a slice of cake.


    It didn''t take long for their order to arrive, though it was the parfait that Akihito and Maria ordered that caught everyone''s attention. It was the perfect size for a pair; inside the glass was layers of pastel-colored cream, topped with strawberry pocky, vanilla and strawberry ice-cream, whipped-cream, macaroons, and a ton of other sweets.


    After delivering their order, the maid said to them, "All couples who order our Couple''s Sweetheart Parfait get a 15% discount and must take a pose for a photo that we post on our Couple''s Wall!" She held a camera, pointing to the decorated wall across from them that was filled with a bunch of pictures of couples posing together.


    "Over my dead," seethingly vowed Micheal, scaring the poor maid, who was only doing her job. Thankfully a hard slap to the back of the head from Isis knocked the frown right off his face.


    "I don''t mind. How about you, Maria-chan?" asked Akihito, only to see Maria scooping up a spoon full of the parfait and putting it in her mouth. Seeing those emerald eyes light up, Akihito knew that it must''ve tasted good; a light bulb appeared over his head. Bending his head down, Akihito planted his lips on Maria''s cheek, which was caught on camera which just flashed for a picture.


    "Ah, how adorable~!" squealed the maid, holding the picture that she had taken and ran over to pin it up on the wall. Maria, on the other hand, was in a state of shock, unable to believe what just happened; Mai and Julian looked just as surprised.


    "I must agree. You two make quite the pairing," smiled Isis, sending Maria''s face ablaze, feeling an arm drape over her shoulders.


    "Maria-chan is quite the cutie. No wonder Ri-chan talks about her so much!" babbled Akihito, ignoring the transformed demon older brother who was calmly being restrained by Isis. Richard, despite his smile, sent a chill down Akihito''s spine, turning towards his best friend just in time to catch him silently mouthing a death threat at him.


    ''Crap, I think I went too far,'' frightfully thought Akihito.

 21 Bonding with Friends

    After leaving the cafe, Akihito stuck close to Maria''s side, not wanting to face his best friend''s wrath. Mai was talking to Julian when something nearby caught her attention. Without question, Mai took off in the direction of whatever had caught her eyes, and the rest of the group ran after her. The thing that had caught her attention was a game stand.


    "All you gotta do is break this pinata and win the prize of your choice~! It''s just that simple, folks! So hurry up and line up to win your special someone a prize of their choice," the man explained just as the group saw a guy throwing a small ball, that to Maria resembled a softball, towards the large pink heart pinata.


    The guy threw a great toss, though sadly it did nothing to the pinata, that didn''t even have a scratch. From behind, Micheal narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Something is not right about that pinata." Standing across from him, Isis mirrored his expression before a smile slowly made its way to her face.


    "Yes, but the man is soon in for a big surprise."


    When the man, owner of the game stand, saw Mai eagerly holding out her money to take her chance at the pinata, his eyes lit up like a greedy snake that was out to con people out of their money. Maria had wanted to stop Mai but was already too late as the man quickly snatched Mai''s money. Though before Mai took a shot at the pinata, she ran over to Maria.


    "Maria, pick what prize you want!"


    "Huh? Me? Shouldn''t you be winning for yourself?"


    "Don''t wanna! I want to get you something as a symbol of our friendship. So ... pick out your prize!" Mai dragged Maria over to the prizes that consisted of a pile of adorable stuffed animals and jewelry. All the accessories were top-notch and dazzling, increasing Maria''s suspicions that this was a guy who should not be trusted.


    Asking herself just where could such a guy get high-grade jewelry from? Deciding to choose whatever caught her attention the most, Maria chose a pink heart jewel pendant.


    "Hmm, that isn''t a regular necklace but a low-grade magical item. Which is weird, seeing how magical items are restrictedly sold in magical items shops, not at carnival games." Isis shot the guy a threatening smile, causing the guy to be on his guard, sweating bullets all over his face.


    "I-I have n-no clue what you are talking about. T-This is just a regular necklace! Now, little girl, why don''t you give it a go at the pinata and win your friend a prize?" The guy put on a fake smile, acting as if he was not caught up in any trouble, and placed the softball in Mai''s hand. Looking at it curiously, Mai''s handed back the softball and asked,


    "Hey, mister, can I use my fist instead of this ball?"


    The guy wasn''t expecting this demand from such a small girl, sweating harder than before when he nervously tried to talk Mai into using the softball instead. "Little Miss, I think you should just try using the softball instead, please," begged the guy, only to have Isis speak up.


    "We''ll pay extra~!"


    "Deal!" The man without any hesitation accepted the deal, once he heard Isis increase the pay.


    ''Man, this guy is greedy.'' Maria shook her head at those greedy eyes, that eagerly took Isis''s money without hesitation. With the pinata now in her sight, Mai grinned excitedly as she popped her knuckles.


    Reaching her arm back, she got ready to throw a punch, though what caught everyone''s attention the most was when Mai''s fist started glowing yellow with light magic. Launching it forward, she broke the pinata in half straight in half, causing it to crash to the ground.


    Once on the ground, amongst the pile of ribbons, confetti, and other things spilled out, the group of youngster Maria spotted a plate of heavy-duty wood and turned their eyes towards the shady man who was about to make a break for it when his exit was blocked by Micheal and Isis.


    "Hey! I did nothing wrong!" the man shouted in his defense.


    "Funny cause I recalled my mother telling my something about a thief breaking into one of Astral top magical items stores and got away with a small loot of stolen goods. Then again I could be wrong, so just in case, how about we call the authorities over to check out to see whether I''m wrong or not, ne?"


    Isis sweetly asked, even though nothing about her smiling face seemed sweet. Once the authorities were called over, the man was taken into questioning.


    "So should I give back the necklace? I don''t feel good about taking stolen goods," confessed Maria, only for Isis to reassure her.


    "You can keep it; my mother is good friends with the person this item was stolen from. I''ll ask her to put in a good word for you. " Isis winked playfully at Maria as the group continued to find fun activities.


    ????????????????


    Before leaving, the group wanted to ride one more ride, a ride that Maria was currently sharing with Julian, which was the Ferris Wheel. Sitting beside the purple-haired boy, Maria became worried once she saw how pale his skin turned.


    "Julian, are you okay?"


    "Y-Yeah! I-I''m completely fine!" He was lying; there was no way he was fine, judging by how pale his skin had turned added with his body shaking uncontrollably, Maria thought to herself.


    "Julian, by any chance... are you afraid of heights?"


    Maria knew she hit the nail on the head when she saw his body jerk and felt her heart go soft. Scooting closer to him, she put his head in her lap and began patting his head. "It''s okay; you don''t have to fret. In a little while, this whole thing will be over."


    "...Sorry for once again showing such a weak and embarrassing side of myself. I want to become strong... I''m trying but sometimes it seems so meaningless. Even now, I still pass out after entering Stella Aurorae gate." A sigh of pity escaped Julian, laying bare his insecurities in front of the person that he wanted to appear strong for.


    "People just don''t automatically become strong, Julian. Becoming a strong person takes work and patience. Give it time, I assure you that one day you will become a strong person."


    "Do... Do you really mean that? Me of all people?" Julian hesitantly asked, unable to identify this warm bubbly feeling that was growing inside him.


    "Of course~! You just got to believe in yourself just as I believe in you." Never had Julian experienced someone putting so much trust in him. Not himself, nor his own parents, fully believed that he could change, that he could, in fact, become someone who was strong and overcame his own insecurities.


    "Thank you, Maria, for being such a good friend."


    "Anytime, Julian."


    ????????????????


    After the whole trip to the carnival came to a close, everyone went their separate ways; Maria returned home with her brother, and life continued on as normal. Maria continued attending Diamond Academy, ignoring the dirty looks that she had by now grown accustomed to.


    In class, each time Ms.Nunnally would bring up Diamond Academy''s annual Graduation Exam, which was growing closer, butterflies would set loose in the pit of her stomach. In order for children to graduate and move up a grade in the Elementary Division. The school assigned an exam for them at the end of the year.


    Which included them going against low rank, magical beast-type creature, something which made Maria feel scared out of her mind. These fears only got worse when she began having nightmares of being chased around by a Flame Bear trying to set her on fire and an Iron Raven releasing iron blades upon her.


    This made it hard for Maria to get an ounce of sleep and be overwhelmed with anxieties. Out of all things, she did not want to fail her exam, but just how was she, a transmigrated first-grader, supposed to fight against a fantasy magical creature!


    When Maria talked to her mother about her anxieties over tea-and-cake time, the beautiful brunette reassured her daughter with a big hug and smile, and announced, "You are going to visit your grandparents!"


    To which Maria couldn''t help but ask herself, ''Just how is that supposed to help me?!''

 22 The Gold Leo Squadron

    After leaving the cafe, Akihito stuck close to Maria''s side, not wanting to face his best friend''s wrath. Mai was talking to Julian when something nearby caught her attention. Without question, Mai took off in the direction of whatever had caught her eyes, and the rest of the group ran after her. The thing that had caught her attention was a game stand.


    "All you gotta do is break this pinata and win the prize of your choice~! It''s just that simple, folks! So hurry up and line up to win your special someone a prize of their choice," the man explained just as the group saw a guy throwing a small ball, that to Maria resembled a softball, towards the large pink heart pinata.


    The guy threw a great toss, though sadly it did nothing to the pinata, that didn''t even have a scratch. From behind, Micheal narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Something is not right about that pinata." Standing across from him, Isis mirrored his expression before a smile slowly made its way to her face.


    "Yes, but the man is soon in for a big surprise."


    When the man, owner of the game stand, saw Mai eagerly holding out her money to take her chance at the pinata, his eyes lit up like a greedy snake that was out to con people out of their money. Maria had wanted to stop Mai but was already too late as the man quickly snatched Mai''s money. Though before Mai took a shot at the pinata, she ran over to Maria.


    "Maria, pick what prize you want!"


    "Huh? Me? Shouldn''t you be winning for yourself?"


    "Don''t wanna! I want to get you something as a symbol of our friendship. So ... pick out your prize!" Mai dragged Maria over to the prizes that consisted of a pile of adorable stuffed animals and jewelry. All the accessories were top-notch and dazzling, increasing Maria''s suspicions that this was a guy who should not be trusted.


    Asking herself just where could such a guy get high-grade jewelry from? Deciding to choose whatever caught her attention the most, Maria chose a pink heart jewel pendant.


    "Hmm, that isn''t a regular necklace but a low-grade magical item. Which is weird, seeing how magical items are restrictedly sold in magical items shops, not at carnival games." Isis shot the guy a threatening smile, causing the guy to be on his guard, sweating bullets all over his face.


    "I-I have n-no clue what you are talking about. T-This is just a regular necklace! Now, little girl, why don''t you give it a go at the pinata and win your friend a prize?" The guy put on a fake smile, acting as if he was not caught up in any trouble, and placed the softball in Mai''s hand. Looking at it curiously, Mai''s handed back the softball and asked,


    "Hey, mister, can I use my fist instead of this ball?"


    The guy wasn''t expecting this demand from such a small girl, sweating harder than before when he nervously tried to talk Mai into using the softball instead. "Little Miss, I think you should just try using the softball instead, please," begged the guy, only to have Isis speak up.


    "We''ll pay extra~!"


    "Deal!" The man without any hesitation accepted the deal, once he heard Isis increase the pay.


    ''Man, this guy is greedy.'' Maria shook her head at those greedy eyes, that eagerly took Isis''s money without hesitation. With the pinata now in her sight, Mai grinned excitedly as she popped her knuckles.


    Reaching her arm back, she got ready to throw a punch, though what caught everyone''s attention the most was when Mai''s fist started glowing yellow with light magic. Launching it forward, she broke the pinata in half straight in half, causing it to crash to the ground.


    Once on the ground, amongst the pile of ribbons, confetti, and other things spilled out, the group of youngster Maria spotted a plate of heavy-duty wood and turned their eyes towards the shady man who was about to make a break for it when his exit was blocked by Micheal and Isis.


    "Hey! I did nothing wrong!" the man shouted in his defense.


    "Funny cause I recalled my mother telling my something about a thief breaking into one of Astral top magical items stores and got away with a small loot of stolen goods. Then again I could be wrong, so just in case, how about we call the authorities over to check out to see whether I''m wrong or not, ne?"


    Isis sweetly asked, even though nothing about her smiling face seemed sweet. Once the authorities were called over, the man was taken into questioning.


    "So should I give back the necklace? I don''t feel good about taking stolen goods," confessed Maria, only for Isis to reassure her.


    "You can keep it; my mother is good friends with the person this item was stolen from. I''ll ask her to put in a good word for you. " Isis winked playfully at Maria as the group continued to find fun activities.


    ????????????????


    Before leaving, the group wanted to ride one more ride, a ride that Maria was currently sharing with Julian, which was the Ferris Wheel. Sitting beside the purple-haired boy, Maria became worried once she saw how pale his skin turned.


    "Julian, are you okay?"


    "Y-Yeah! I-I''m completely fine!" He was lying; there was no way he was fine, judging by how pale his skin had turned added with his body shaking uncontrollably, Maria thought to herself.


    "Julian, by any chance... are you afraid of heights?"


    Maria knew she hit the nail on the head when she saw his body jerk and felt her heart go soft. Scooting closer to him, she put his head in her lap and began patting his head. "It''s okay; you don''t have to fret. In a little while, this whole thing will be over."


    "...Sorry for once again showing such a weak and embarrassing side of myself. I want to become strong... I''m trying but sometimes it seems so meaningless. Even now, I still pass out after entering Stella Aurorae gate." A sigh of pity escaped Julian, laying bare his insecurities in front of the person that he wanted to appear strong for.


    "People just don''t automatically become strong, Julian. Becoming a strong person takes work and patience. Give it time, I assure you that one day you will become a strong person."


    "Do... Do you really mean that? Me of all people?" Julian hesitantly asked, unable to identify this warm bubbly feeling that was growing inside him.


    "Of course~! You just got to believe in yourself just as I believe in you." Never had Julian experienced someone putting so much trust in him. Not himself, nor his own parents, fully believed that he could change, that he could, in fact, become someone who was strong and overcame his own insecurities.


    "Thank you, Maria, for being such a good friend."


    "Anytime, Julian."


    ????????????????


    After the whole trip to the carnival came to a close, everyone went their separate ways; Maria returned home with her brother, and life continued on as normal. Maria continued attending Diamond Academy, ignoring the dirty looks that she had by now grown accustomed to.


    In class, each time Ms.Nunnally would bring up Diamond Academy''s annual Graduation Exam, which was growing closer, butterflies would set loose in the pit of her stomach. In order for children to graduate and move up a grade in the Elementary Division. The school assigned an exam for them at the end of the year.


    Which included them going against low rank, magical beast-type creature, something which made Maria feel scared out of her mind. These fears only got worse when she began having nightmares of being chased around by a Flame Bear trying to set her on fire and an Iron Raven releasing iron blades upon her.


    This made it hard for Maria to get an ounce of sleep and be overwhelmed with anxieties. Out of all things, she did not want to fail her exam, but just how was she, a transmigrated first-grader, supposed to fight against a fantasy magical creature!


    When Maria talked to her mother about her anxieties over tea-and-cake time, the beautiful brunette reassured her daughter with a big hug and smile, and announced, "You are going to visit your grandparents!"


    To which Maria couldn''t help but ask herself, ''Just how is that supposed to help me?!''

 23 Meeting the Grandparents

    Houston, we have a problem...'' Maria thought to herself, face a little green as her small six-year-old body was constantly being thrown in the air only to be caught by her grandfather. Who fondly kept saying such thing as,


    "My little Maria is adorable. How about you come and live with your grandpa? I will spoil you with pretty dresses and play with you every day." The man was wearing a big happy smile on his face, engrossed with the idea of seeing his precious granddaughter every day of the week.


    Immediately Maria found herself caught by a different pair of hands, a set of emerald eyes glaring in the direction of her grandfather. "Hey, Maria is my darling sweet little cub! She is not allowed to leave her Mommy and Papa side just yet!"


    "Hmph, fine, then all of you come live with me," stated Maria''s proud grandfather with both hands on his hips. The brief bit of relaxation was once again hit with shock as she stared up at her grandfather and told herself,


    ''Gramps, you can''t be serious?!''


    The small family of three, plus Neal, along with Kuroka and Shirone were inside the main stronghold of the Roaring Lion Knights. Neal found himself the unlucky one to try and pacify the childish daughter and father duo, pitying Maria who was caught in the middle of their game of tug-of-war.


    "Matilda! Commander! The little lady..." called out Neal, unsure how to save the young girl, knowing that when those two became like this, there was only one person who could get them under control.


    "Ara, darling, Tilda~! What do you think you''re doing to my precious granddaughter?"


    A gentle and soft-spoken voice entered. Both daughter and father stilled, putting a pause to their tug-of-war game which Maria was thankful for. Hearing a set of footsteps enter the room, Maria was stunned to see a small and delicate woman with long cinnamon brown hair reaching past her waist and gentle emerald eyes, greatly resembling her mother''s.


    ''So pretty... and she looks a lot like mom!'' Maria couldn''t help but blush when the woman made eye contact with her; though the more Maria looked at this woman, she began to notice just how young she looked.


    ''Wait a sec... This woman can''t be my obasan! I mean, when placed next to mom, she could be her younger sister!''


    "Hi, mom!" Maria''s jaw hit the ground as she watched the two women hug each other. Staring more intensively at the two, Maria noted that not even their size in the bust department measured up. Leaving herself asking, ''Just what kind of rejuvenating potion is granny taking?!''


    "It''s good to see you again, Tilda! You must visit your parents a little more often; it''s been a long time since I saw my adorable grandchildren." Maria watched her young-looking grandmother walk her way and bend down towards her level.


    "Is Maria hungry, obasan just made snacks and a batch of fresh sweets."


    The smell of spring flowers hit Maria, becoming engulfed in this warm feeling that was being emitted from her obasan; a charming, gentle smile was set on her face. Nodding her tiny little head, Maria found herself in the loving and soft arms of her pretty grandmother.


    "Then let''s go get some food in that little tummy of yours." Maria''s grandmother led her outside where a table of snacks was awaiting them. In a short amount of time, Maria was snacking on monte cristo sandwiches, pretty and delicious petit cakes, along with beverages that was being served to her by Shirone.


    "So tell us, besides wanting to see us, what else brings you to Regulus City?" asked her grandmother, setting a plate of decorative macaroons next to Maria, and giggled once she saw how the girl''s eyes lit up with happiness.


    "Maria is stressed out over her Final Exam that is coming up. As you know, in order to prepare students for entering the Middle School Division, Diamond Academy tends to pair students against a Magical Beast. Maria-chan is afraid of failing," explained her mother as her grandfather pondered over the information he just heard.


    "I almost forgot; when students at the academy enroll in the Middle School Division, half of their grades are determined by their missions. On the majority of these missions and depending on the details of them, students will without a doubt encounter magical creatures. Hopefully for their sake, the creatures they encounter are of the beast-type and not the phantom-types," said Maria''s grandfather, eyes serious when he felt his granddaughter''s curious eyes fell on him.


    "Why do you say that, grandpa?" Even though Maria was taking Intro to Magical Creatures, learning about their types, rankings, and abilities, the students in the class learned more about the beast-type creatures than the phantom-types. The only thing Maria knew of phantom-types was that they were extremely dangerous and one should retreat if they ever encountered a phantom-type creature.


    "Since you''re still in your first-year in the Elementary Division, teachers refrain from saying too much about phantom-type creatures in hopes to not scare you. Not to mention, most phantom-type creatures reside in the rural areas; the academy hardly receives requests from these areas as they are sent to the guilds or fall under our jurisdiction. " explained her grandfather.


    "Various children from noble families attend the academy. Since the academy can not risk any serious damage happening to the students, they receive missions from the middle and upper-class areas. So they feel it as unimportant to truly inform students about phantom-type creatures." While snacking on her lunch, Maria paid attention to the words her grandfather was saying.


    "Phantom-type creatures are sinister and vile creatures that feed on human flesh and fears. They are extremely dangerous and are twice as hard to take down compared to beast-types. Luckily, you''ll never have to encounter such creatures, since beast-types outnumber phantom-type creatures. But if you ever encounter one... run." Seeing such a heavy and intense gaze in her grandfather''s eyes, Maria felt a cold chill sweep over her body.


    Mentally taking heed of his warning, Maria felt a large hand settle on top of her head and fondly rubbed it. "But that is not the problem at hand; it seems you are afraid to battle a magical creature and must overcome such fear if you are to move up a grade."


    "In order for Maria to overcome her fear, the best place to send her would be north, outside of Regulus City, where a small number of beast-type creatures reside in a forest. Taking her there would be a good place to start training," advised her grandmother. Maria took notice of how the atmosphere around the table had changed some.


    Listening to her grandparents and mother converse with one another, Maria felt a sense of dread, warning her that she would not like the plans they had in store for her.


    ????????????????


    ''I knew I wasn''t going to like this...'' Maria had changed into a different set of clothes more appropriate to maneuver around the thick forest she was currently traveling with her grandparents and mother. Kuroka and Shirone had expressed their desire to come along as well but were ordered to stay behind.


    The forest they entered was called Xale, a small forest not that far from the city, covered with thick trees, small lakes, and even a few fruit trees could be spotted. Maria stuck closer to her grandfather and mother; the mishmash of animal sounds kept Maria on edge.


    When the group suddenly stopped, Maria wondered why, but when she got ready to ask, her eyes locked onto what was blocking them. It was a large black bull, smaller than the griffons that the Rosendrey family had, but yet still large, the same went for the intimidating fire horns prodding from its head. Huffing and glaring at them, it was as if it was getting ready to charge.


    "Oh, a Fire Horn ?ubro¨½! It has been a long time since I saw one," mused her mother, not even the slightest bit scared; the same went for her grandfather who laughed out loud.


    "Back at the beginning of your training, the first thing I put you up against was a Fire Horn ?ubro¨½. It took you three days to defeat it."


    While father and daughter reminisced over the old times, Maria was close to wetting herself, wishing for nothing more than to be back under the covers of her bed. Maria was ready to flee when she heard her grandfather speak up.


    "Maria, there is only one lesson you need to learn when facing a beast. Stand your ground and face your prey right in its eyes. You must never show weakness, ''cause they can sense your fear. Channel the inner beast inside you and fight!"


    Those fierce lion-looking eyes locked with the Fire Horn ?ubron; just from their posture, one could tell both were challenging each other to a duel. In one quick succession, both took off with an animalistic yell.


    Balling his fist, Maria''s grandfather swung it forward. Maria was in awe at what she witnessed next; the Fire Horn ?ubron was sent rolling on the ground, before it slouched to the ground, completely down for the count.


    With a wide smile stretched across his face, Maria''s grandfather turned to her and said, "Alright, Maria, now it''s your turn!"


    ''Come again..?!''


    "The next prey we stumble upon, I want you to be the one to take it out."


    ''This old man is trying to get me killed!''


    "Haha, don''t worry, grandpa completely believes in you!"


    ''...I''m gonna die.''

 24 Final Exam Day

    "Go get ''em, Maria!" shouted her grandfather, followed by a cheerful shout that came from her mother.


    "Maria, mommy is here cheering you on!"


    Sitting down at a small table, which Maria couldn''t help but question just where on earth it came from, sipping on tea, her grandmother shot her an airy smile. "Good luck, my adorable granddaughter. "


    ''They clearly have no intention of helping me,'' Maria thought with a blank expression, turning her head back to the Water Ram. Only to scream once she saw the Water Horn Ram charging in her direction. This started up a hilarious cat-and-mouse scene for the small audience that was watching.


    "Haha! Maria, running away isn''t going to help!" Maria''s grandfather released a jovial laugh.


    "Then what am I supposed to do-Ah!" Maria screamed when the Water Ram started shooting water blasts from out its horns at her.


    "You must fight!"


    ''As if it''s that easy, but... He does have a point.'' Looking down at the thin gold chain worn on her wrist, a ruby jewel dangling from it. After Maria first summoned Ruby, she decided to craft herself a charm bracelet, so that way she would have quick accessibility to summon Ruby.


    "Ruby, please lend me your power!" A bright shiny blast of light was emitted from the ruby jewel, and in the next second, Ruby appeared floating next to her.


    "What can I do for you, master?"


    When Ruby made her appearance, the audience had a reaction of surprise, that turned into concern and at last, curiosity. Though, it was Maria''s mother who spoke first. "Children tend to inherit the same type of magic that is passed down through their family, only rarely does a child receive a different magic type than their parents."


    "Ara, Maria-chan is full of surprises, but will she be okay? Celestial Magic can be quite troublesome," concernedly asked her grandmother, snacking on some cookies.


    "Don''t worry, she has her grandfather''s blood running through her veins. She is going to be just fine," reassured her grandfather, eyes trained on the celestial pixie who summoned forth her dual fans, sending out coils of fire that the ram managed to miss.


    "Xale Forest is a forest full of low-level, beast-type creatures, one shouldn''t underestimate the mind of a wild animal. In their world, the only way to survive is to run or fight. Maria must learn to face her fears head-on." said her grandfather.


    While her family was conversing with each other, Maria got hit with a full blast of water. The impact knocked her right off her feet, drenching her head to toe.


    "Ow, that hurt." Maria picked herself off the ground, though she had to be quick as the Water Horn Ram was charging in her direction. She moved just in time, watching the Water Horn Ram stab its horn in the ground, in the same spot she was lying in just a moment ago.


    Instantly, Maria paled. ''That could''ve been me!'' The cat-and-mouse game started up again.


    "Ruby, can you hone in on its position and land a hit?"


    "It''s fast." With a wave of her fan, Ruby sent out another fire attack, only to witness the Water Horn Ram dodge the attack."My attacks are having a hard time landing a hit on it. Master, I think we need a change of plans."


    "I''m open to any plan!"


    "Celestial Summons not only fight for their master but can also become one with them." Ruby changed into a bright red ball, which melted inside of Maria''s chest. ''Wha... Something is happening inside of me!'' Maria felt a surge of powerful energy flowing through her veins, a huge blaze of bright crimson flames were summoned forth and shielded her in a large ball.


    The small audience that was watching did not expect what they had just witnessed. Once the ball of crimson flames disappeared, Maria''s grandfather saw that his granddaughter was unharmed from the event that just took place.


    Smirking at the interesting sight before, Maria''s grandfather made a request."Matilda, how about letting Maria stay here for the entire week?"


    "It seems you and I are on the same page. I also think letting Maria camp out in the forest will be of great help as well."


    "Ara, despite your huge affection and love for Maria, when it comes to training, you two can be quite strict," giggled Maria''s grandmother. Sadly the main subject of this conversation had no clue about what was taking place. Because if she did, she would''ve glared at the both of them and called them Spartans!


    For that entire week, Maria camped out in the Xale Forest, a horrendous experience that she would never forget. At the end of the week, Maria said goodbye to her grandparents and returned back to the capital. After returning back from her break, Maria learned she wasn''t the only one training throughout the week, as was Mai and even Julian.


    Classes continued on at Diamond Academy, and before anyone knew it, the semester was finally over, and it was time for the Elementary Division''s Final Exam Day. Maria sat in between her two best friends as the Final Exam took place on a large floating arena. Down below from the spectator stands, Maria could spot the large octagonal stage.


    Looking around, Maria saw how even with the entire Elementary Division present, only one-fourth of the arena was filled up. With students chatting amongst each, it was clear to Maria that anxiety was prominent amongst most of the students that were present. Though, Mai was excluded from that list. "Yosh! I''m ready to show the results of my training with Nee-sama!"


    "I don''t feel so well. I''m so nervous that I want to throw up," groaned a pale-faced Julian, clutching his stomach.


    "Hang in there, Julian, you''re not the only one feeling nervous." Maria patted him on the head, missing how his cheeks flushed a light shade of pink.


    Hearing heels descend across the stage, Maria saw it was the same lady from the Opening Ceremony. "Hello, students of Diamond Academy, as most of know, today is your Final Exam. It will be overseen by every teacher in the Elementary Division, along with the Headmaster of Diamond Academy."


    She spoke into the microphone, and standing beside her was a handsome, familiar-looking man, that caused the three friends'' eyes to pop out of their sockets from shock.


    "H-He was the headmaster?!" exclaimed Mai.


    "And to think we talked back to him! We''re so screwed! He definitely has a bad opinion of us now." Julian cried into his hands.


    ''Why does bad luck tend to befall on me?!'' silently wept Maria. When the woman passed over the mic, the Headmaster began to speak next.


    "For those of you wishing to move up a grade, you better show peerless results. Meaning that I''m expecting each and every last one of you to not fail. Diamond Academy is full of stars, some more radiant than the others. We have no place for the weak."


    The pressure that came from those words felt as if a mountain was crushing them. Julian looked as if he was on the verge of passing out and so did a majority of the students. Those filled with nothing but confidence remained calm or were grinning like Mai, itching to show off their skills. Fists balled tight, Maria felt just as anxious as Julian, nowhere near as confident as Mai, but a determined glint flashed in those emerald eyes.


    "I... refuse to fail."

 25 The Exam Begins

    Right after the Headmaster made his announcement, exams went underway. Names were randomly called out in groups or pairs, seeing how the stage was massive enough to hold multiple one-on-one matches.


    Once a student descended the stage, a magic spell would activate itself, summoning forth a caged magical beast; once released, the battle began. Throughout the process, there were those who were struggling and others who easily took out their assigned magical beast.


    There were a few matches that caught Maria''s attention, such as the 4S Beauties of Diamond Academy. Despite their primadonna attitude, it was clear that they had talent, such as Natsumi who excelled in fire magic, ending her match with a large powerful fireball attack, earning herself a few compliments from the teachers.


    "Mou, that didn''t put up much of a fight." Lily pouted adorably, earning praise from her fans, though Maria and a few others with common sense couldn''t help but become wary of the Beauty of Spring.


    The said girl happily skipped back to her seat. Belle, of course, performed superbly with her lightning magic, instantly KO-ing the beast with one hit.


    The last of the 4S Beauties to appear on stage was Eira Snow. Instead of relying on her Bloodline Magic, the girl won her match by using a noteworthy water-spell, not even breaking a sweat as the effortlessly summoned the attack and won her match. Seeing this, Maria thought of how talent just naturally came to this girl.


    "They may be stuck up princesses, but they got skill," reluctantly admitted Mai which Maria silently agreed with. The next couple of matches were more on the boring side until Maria caught sight of a girl that caused a lot of gossip from both the students and teachers.


    The girl that caught Maria''s attention had this ethereal that radiate from every fiber of her body, letting everyone know that without a doubt she was going to grow into a stunning beauty in the future with her lustrous moonlight silver hair that was strung up in a high elegant ponytail and amethyst eyes that glittered like gems.


    The size of the creature was three times that of the girl, a menacing glint in its eyes as it glared down at the impassive girl standing before it. Maria had a hard time believing that this beast was ranked in the pawn class. Asking herself, how could this girl remain so calm and not show any reaction?


    When the beast tried to attack, the girl used some fancy footwork to dodge its attacks, and once she was quite a distance away, she held her bow and aimed it straight at the beast. Fingers pulling back on the silver string, an arrow made of light magic appeared. In quick succession, she released it and the arrow flew out and struck the beast right in its forehead.


    "Wow, I expected nothing less from Astral''s only princess, Princess Luna," Julian spoke in awe. Only when Maria heard this name did she briefly recall the novel mention something about a Princess Luna.


    ''Wait a sec... Didn''t the story say that she died a young age in a horrific accident?'' Maria recalled how the novel once stated that the crown prince had an older sister, but she was never introduced in the main storyline due to having died from a horrific accident when she was young.


    No specific details were given, just one saying that the incident was horrific, and how it caused her mother to commit suicide. Now that this topic was once again brought back up, Maria had suspicions that the Empress was no doubt involved in the death of the original Princess Luna. When it came to royal families, there was always a history of brutal wars that went on behind the scenes in order to seize the power of the throne.


    In Astral, either a male or female heir could inherit the throne, and titles could be changed in a blink of an eye. So to make sure that the child positions were kept, the obvious choice would be to eliminate the competition, meaning any brothers or sisters that could prove to be a threat.


    Every reader who read the light novel, A Fairytale Romance, knew that the Empress was a selfish and ambitious woman. A cruel woman who would eliminate the lives of innocents to justify her own needs without guilt. She was one of the main people against her son marrying a powerless baron''s daughter who could offer him nothing.


    With all eyes on that dignified figure below returning to her seat, Maria''s curiosity behind her death grew. Asking herself just how did the eldest princess of Astral die, and why was it labeled horrific? What were the details behind it?


    In the next group of names that were being called, Mai''s name was on the list. The girl let out a whoop, happy to be able to finally show off the results from her training with her older sister. Both Maria and Julian wished the excited girl good luck, watching her dash forward and literally jump on the stage.


    "Nothing too bad should happen to Mai, right?" asked a worried Julian.


    "Let''s hope not," Maria responded back. The matches down below began once the cage disappeared. Some students could not help but scream in fright whenever the caged beast came charging straight at them. Though such a case did not relate to Mai; the girl was hyped for a battle.


    The Flame Claw Bear struck out with its paw, but Mai dodged it, and when it tried to land a hit with its other paw, she skillfully backflipped out of the way. The beast didn''t like it when Mai dodged its attacked, kicking up its speed so much so that Maria and Julian both paled when one of its claws managed to scratch Mai''s cheek.


    Mai winced from the pain but was not going to let that keep her down. "Time to finish you off with a new attack I''ve been working on with big-sis!" Just like the last time at the carnival, Mai''s fist began charging up with light magic, and as soon as she caught sight of an opening, she charged forward.


    "Starlight Punch!" She leaped into the air and landed a strong right hook in the Flame Claw Bear''s face, knocking it down for the count as she stood on its body and posed victoriously. Earning a round of praise and cheers from her two friends in the audience, she shot them a peace sign.


    After Mai''s turn, names were once again called out, and it seemed that this time it was Julian''s turn. Gazing at the poor lamb, both Mai and Maria sweatdropped once they saw him on the verge of puking and gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder.


    "You got this, Julian! Give ''em the old one-two!" encouraged Mai, demonstrating a few boxing moves.


    "Go out there and break a leg, but don''t actually break a leg. Just give it your best shot, okay?!" Maria tried to lift his spirits. Lips curving into a small smile, Julian was happy for his friends'' support.


    "Okay... I''ll try." Bracing himself, Julian made his way toward the stage.

 26 Julian Bloodline Magic

    Just like Julian, the other children were struggling, though only one really stood out from the others. "Hey, isn''t that Four-Eyes, the annoying sidekick that is always hanging around that stupid prince?" inquired Mai, directing her eyes towards where she was pointing her finger. Maria''s eyes widened once she noticed that the person was indeed Gilbert.


    "Yep, that''s him," confirmed Maria, watching the boy perform some type of lightning spell that created a lightning blade from his hands, only to stab it into the beast he was fighting. Releasing a surge of electricity through its body, he fried it to a crisp.


    "I''m done here." The lightning blade disappeared and Gilbert promptly left the stage.


    "Uptight jerk." Maria heard Mai mutter as both girls returned their eyes back to Julian''s fight, only to see him still being chased around by the Snake Earthworm.


    "Oi, Julian, stop running and fight! Fight! Fight!" Mai cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled out to him.


    ''Easier said than done, Mai-chan!'' Julian mentally screamed when the Snake Earthworm tried to swallow him whole, knowing that running was not going to save him unless he did something. He stopped and a purple-pinkish spell circle appeared in front of him.


    "Bloodline Magic: Marionette Master-M.M!" he called forth. Appearing from out of the spell circle was this adorable girl that looked to be the same age as Julian with light blonde hair kept in two twin-tails tied at the back of her head and blue eyes. Her attire consisted of this super cute sweets-themed lolita style dress and accessories.


    "M.M? No way...?! Is that really the same doll as before?" There was a legit reason for Mai''s skepticism, seeing how the last time Julian introduced them to M.M she resembled more of a doll and less like a human.


    "At first, I didn''t really understand Julian''s Bloodline Magic; now I can conclude that it allows him to create and, more than likely, control dolls. Sorta like a puppet master." Maria came to an understanding, paying closer attention to Julian''s match.


    "How can I be of service to you, Julian-sama?" she affably asked him, using an adorable voice, filled with nothing but affection aimed towards Julian.


    "M.M, sing Happy Candy Song!"


    "Okie dokey~!" She did a cutesy wink as out of nowhere the surroundings suddenly changed as this upbeat music suddenly began to play, and the doll started to sing and dance.


    A desk, a pocket


    Or even inside a bag


    It''s always there, unforgotten.


    Which should we choose?


    Wait, wait, wait a second


    Happiness is born


    The sweet atmosphere is soft and fluffy


    We can live and not be angry


    "What''s with this cutesy upbeat song?! When I listen to it, I can''t help but feel... happy!"


    Mai shouted with uncertainty. Maria found herself moving to the beat of the song; all of her fears disappeared and were replaced with this overwhelming feeling of happiness.


    Down on the stage, the doll was basically putting on her own little concert, sending the beast''s mind to a wonderland of sweets and happiness.


    CANDY CANDY CANDY CANDY CANDY


    SWEETIE SWEETIE GIRLS LOVE


    CHEWING CHEWING CHEWING CHEWING CHEWING


    CUTIE CUTIE CH-CH-CH-CHEWING LOVE


    From upstage, Maria could see the beast mind was becoming entrapped in the emotions that the song surged from within, happily nodding its head along with half of the audience who were watching. M.M continued performing, doing her cute little dance numbers, twirling, and having Maria question herself when she saw the doll pull a huge pink lollipop from nowhere.


    A smile never left the doll''s face; once it became noted that the beast''s guard was down, she leaped into the air, wielding the large lollipop.


    "Candy Punishment!"


    M.M slammed the lollipop on top of the Earthworm Snake''s head, and next, she knocked it out of the ring like a golf ball. The Earthworm Snake was officially down for the count, but this couldn''t stop others from being dumbstruck at what they just witnessed.


    "W-What power..." Mai said with awe in her voice. Maria nodded her head in agreement, mirroring Mai''s and half of the student body''s exact expressions. Releasing a sigh from his lips, Julian''s shaky heart was able to calm itself down.


    "Thank you, M.M!"


    "Anything for you, Julian-sama~!" M.M happily gushed as Julian released his summoning spell and M.M disappeared. Making his way back towards his friends, Julian was caught off guard by the hugs they ambushed him with.


    "That was awesome, Julian! I didn''t know you had it in you." Mai playfully punched his shoulders while offering him a big bright smile.


    "I always knew you were strong, Julian, you just had to discover it yourself." These words from Maria made Julian deeply happy, even though it was baby steps of improvement, slowly he was showing growth, and he had his wonderful and supportive friends to thank for that.


    "Thanks."


    Maria sheepishly patted his cheek, the three taking their seats as the next round of names were called out. Only this time, Maria paled a little when she heard her name announced.


    "Looks like it''s finally my turn. Oh, my stomach." The butterflies swirling in her stomach did not make her feel any better as she felt a hand land on her shoulder.


    "You''ve got this, Maria. You may not know this, but you''re stronger than you think. So go out there and show everyone what you''re made of!" cheered Mai, loudly enough to catch a few others'' attention, who glared at her, not that she was paying them any attention.


    "Mai is right, Maria. You are strong. So we know you can do this." Julian offered his support, and Maria honestly felt like tearing up for having such supportive friends. Taking deep breaths, Maria thanked them and made her way down, only to sense another person at her side.


    "You should just give up. Diamond Academy is not a place for failures," cruelly mocked Alan whose name was also called out. In the background, Maria could hear some of his fangirls rooting for him.


    "Looks like you still have it out for me." sighed Maria, tired encountering Alan and dealing with the negativity he had towards her.


    "For five years, you did nothing but embarrass me and cling to me like a leech. Becoming nothing more than a thorn in my side that I detest, but more than that you tried to hurt Sofia. You may have your friends fooled, but I know deep down inside, you are still that selfish, spoiled ojou-sama who cares only about herself."


    After having spoken his true feelings of discontentment that were aimed her way, Alan walked on ahead as Maria felt both confused and glooming, a gray cloud settling over her head.


    "Who is the heck is Sofia? Ah, just when my spirits were up, he sure does know how to knock them down," she muttered dejectedly, descending down to the stage.


    Activating the appearance of her caged magical beast, Maria once again did a few breathing exercises, and once finished, her emerald green eyes gleamed with determination. ''I trained like hell in that forest where I was left alone to survive on my own."


    Memories of Maria being chased and toyed with day and night by low ranked beasts still haunted her to this day.


    ''Even though it was scary and there were days I wanted to give up, the thought of letting down those who cheered me on and not wanting to disappoint them, kept me going. No longer am I that fragile little girl from before.''


    "Ruby! Celestial Convergence!"

 27 Victorious

    When Maria called out to Ruby, rings of red luminance fire covered her body as her mind briefly flashbacked to that week of training she underwent. How she was caught by surprise when she and Ruby first performed a convergence together, though she was unaware of what it was called at the time before Ruby explained it to her.


    Celestial Convergence was when a Celestial Summon and its master merged together, granting that magician the same abilities as the Celestial Summon. Though, not all Celestial Magicians could successfully perform this spell as sometimes the magician''s body was unable to handle the strain of merging with a celestial being. Those who could were noted to be some of the lucky few, even though those who could, sometimes experienced difficulty maintaining the merging.


    ''Master, your current limit in this form is only five minutes. So I advise you that it''s best that you wrap things up quickly.'' Maria could hear Ruby''s voice in her head, taking a stance as her attire, even her hairstyle, greatly resembled the Celestial Spirit''s, and she summoned Ruby''s dual fans in her hands. Maria was unaware that instead of her natural emerald eyes, they had changed to a bright red like rubies.


    "I know."


    This change in Maria caught a certain number of people''s attention such as her friends. Mai was so hyped up that she was shaking Julian by the collar of his shirt. "Julian, did you see that?! Maria transformed! She''s so cool now! You got this Maria! Ma-ri-a! Ma-ri-a!" Mai took her poms-poms and started cheering, ignoring the questioning stares and glares the students were aiming her way.


    "Maa, our dear Maria-chan is just full of surprises isn''t she, Ri-chan?" cheekily asked Akihito, though when he turned towards his best friend he was not expecting the starry-eyed flushed gaze he was giving Maria.


    "Oi! Oi! Ri-chan, isn''t it a little too early to be falling for chibi-chan?" he playfully teased his best friend, who looked at him and said,


    "...But she''s so adorable."


    "Ri-chan, you''re moving way too fast; take two step backs."Akihito lightly slapped Richard''s arm, who tried to regain his composure.


    "Don''t be mistaken, I''m simply stating a fact," he said with flushed cheeks, eyes permanently glued onto Maria.


    Regaining a cool expression on his face, Richard shot his cousin an uninterested stare. "What is there to watch? No matter how much he improves, he will always be beneath me."


    "Ri-chan, so cold." Akihito shuddered from the coldness of Richard, even though he was expecting such a reaction. Seeing how the two cousins did not share a close relationship if anything it was the opposite.


    "Tch, so weak. Augue!" In the Crown Prince''s hands, a huge ball of fire formed that he threw towards the beast, followed up with a second spell.


    "Fulgur Percutite!" A strike of lightning fell down from the sky and struck the beast; this double spell attack resulted in him being victorious. The Crown Prince gloated from his victory and was about to make his way off stage, only to pause and shoot a glance over towards Maria, who was up against a Drunk Fire Monkey.


    "Fancy clothes won''t make you win," he muttered before taking his leave.


    The Drunk Fire Monkey that she was up against took a drink of the bottle of booze it was holding, and afterward, shot fireballs from its mouth. Using the dual fans in her hands, Maria sliced all the fireballs that came her way in half.


    Only to come face to face with the beast itself, who moved so quickly that only in the last second was she fast enough to dodge the flame punch it aimed at her face. Suddenly Maria found herself once again dodging fireballs and the beast''s fire punches. In the back of her head, a part of her couldn''t help but question,


    ''Just how can this monkey fight so well without dropping his bottle of booze?! Though I must say, all that training back at Zeke Forest is finally paying off, seeing how if this was the old me, my face would already be fried off.'' Despite the monkey''s drunkness, its agility and speed were no joke.


    The Drunk Fire Monkey shot another attack of fires balls at Maria, and they consumed her, earning a worried yell from both Maria and Julian. The beast was once again about to take another swing of its booze, only to have Maria flying from out of the blaze, dual fans in her hands, a grin stretched across her face.


    "Oh, no ya don''t! Uguns Tornado!" She swung her dual fans towards the beast, unleashing a tornado of flames from underneath its feet, leaving it with no exit to escape and defeated. Seeing this, Maria was reminded of when she defeated the Water Horn Ram with this very same attack.


    "Gotta feel sorta grateful for that horrifying experience those two put me through." By those two, Maria was hinting at her grandfather and mother, the same ones who came up with the crazy idea of leaving a six-year-old alone in a forest of beasts.


    Yes, they were considered weak, but for a person like Maria, whose original soul came from a world where creatures possessing supernatural abilities were only in myths, anime, and television shows, it was like leaving her alone with a forest full of hungry lions.


    Though the feeling of accomplishment that came with this victory made her pump her fist in the air and yell out, "I did it! I defeated a magical beast! Yes! Yes! Yes!" It took a few minutes of whooping and yelling for Maria to notice that she caused a lot of eyes to point in her direction. Feeling greatly embarrassed by her moment of happiness, she fled the stage and reunited with her friends, where she was congratulated.


    "I''m so happy for you, Maria!" Maria was shocked to have Julian hug her first; joining Julian soon after was Mai.


    "I knew you could do it!"


    "Thanks! I''m so lucky to have you guys," said Maria, words which were genuinely meant, hugging them even tighter. For the rest of the day, the three watched the rest of the matches. Each grade went in order; once all the first-graders were finished, it was now time for the second graders.


    When it came to Akihito and Richard, the first unleashed a powerful destructive lightning spell, while Richard won his match so fast that Maria didn''t even know the type of magic he used. When it came time for the fourth graders, the beasts became notedly stronger and moved up a rank. When it became Isis turn, Mai whipped out her pom-poms and cheered loudly for her big sister.


    The older sister shot her younger sister a smile and a wave, before focusing on her match which she won effortlessly. Earning praise from teachers and students who witnessed such a young girl pull off a 5th tier Light Spell without a problem. Maria watched her brother also win his match by using an Earth Spell attack and beaming a victory smile her way afterward.


    ''Looks like Micheal inherited the same magic attribute as mom.'' Maria returned her brother''s smile with one of her own.


    By the time Final Exams came to an end, it was around noon. Stepping through the door of the Rosendrey Manor with her brother, Maria was not expecting to be met with her parents unleashing streamers and confetti with a banner that read: "Congratulations Maria on completing your first-year!"


    "Wha...! What is all this?!" Maria found herself lifted up into her father''s arms, who shot her a proud smile.


    "We wanted to congratulate you on succeeding onto the next grade and for passing your exam."


    "But how did you know I would pass?"


    "Mama had nothing but faith in my adorable Maria~!" gushed her mother, holding fans with pictures and her name printed on them.


    "And because I informed them right after your success, ojou-sama," said Shirone, holding a Crystal Butterfly in her hands, which was how she got in contact with her parents so fast.


    "Ah, now that makes sense," Maria said, held in her father''s arms who carried her to the Dining Room, pushing open the door. Maria saw waiting for her was a buffet of delicious gourmet food, along with a three-tier chocolate cake iced with buttercream frosting, decorated with chocolate truffles and salted caramel macarons.


    "Wait, shouldn''t this celebration be for big-bro too?" Maria didn''t want her brother to feel left out as well.


    "Don''t worry, we threw Micheal a Congratulation Celebration when he passed his first Final Exam."


    Her father was quick to soothe her worries as her brother also reassured her. "Don''t worry about me, Maria, today is for you."


    "We would also like to say congratulations to you as well, ojou-sama." Both Shirone and Kuroka formally thanked her. Surrounded by family, warm kindness, and food, Maria couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed with happiness, blessed to have been bestowed such a kind family.


    ''I don''t know why I was brought into this world, but whoever you are that brought me here, thank you for giving me such a wonderful family.''


    ?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?


    Somewhere, in another realm, the image of the happy family was broadcasted to two pairs of eyes, and a woman smiled.


    "It seems your wish has been granted," the woman spoke to the unseen individual standing next to her, who said nothing but smiled at the sight of Maria''s happiness with her new family and life.

 28 A New Year

    "Mai, on your left!" yelled Maria.


    "Maria, above you!" said Julian. Maria dodged the attack from the beast she was up against and moved in to attack with her crimson dual fire fans. Once all three were beasts were taken out, the three friends happily congratulated each other.


    They were in the middle of their Confrontation Against Magical Creatures class, which took place in a forest located outside on the academy''s grounds.


    Confrontation Against Magical Creatures was a course where students learned how to face off against a variety of beast-type creatures, but ever since Maria and the others graduated to third-years, they also fought against a few rook-class beasts as well.


    So far the three had gained some fighting experience and was showing improvement from when they were naive first-years. Maria no longer felt afraid, Julian no longer had the urge to puke, and Mai... Well, Mai was still Mai.


    When the sound of a whistle was heard throughout the forest, the three friends made their way back to Ms. Abby. A fierce goth looking woman and the instructor for this course, whose rumors said she once served in the imperial army.


    "Alright, you brats, wipe down, and get some water! I see improvement in some of you while others still have a long way to go. I''m talking to you, Pendragon!"


    The woman pointed towards an embarrassed golden blonde-haired boy, his head hung low in shame as some of the other students snickered at him. Emerald eyes stared at the blonde-haired boy and couldn''t help but think of the irony of his name.


    ''Arthur Pendragon. A famous and legendary person from my old world. Sadly, I don''t get that same inspiring feeling that is usually depicted in movies and television shows when I look at him. From what I know, Arthur is always failing in courses that teach students how to utilize their magic and he barely passed his last two Final Exams. I wonder why he''s having such a hard time with his magic?''


    Once class finished, students were assigned to head towards their next class and Maria stared at her friends'' backs. The young girl contemplated how much time had passed since she first transmigrated into this world. She had experienced many different things in this world, that she was unable to do in her old world.


    She had changed a bit from the girl she used to be, seeing how the old Maria did not fight magical monsters. No longer was Maria a first-year at the academy but now was in the midst of her third-year here at Diamond Academy, Elementary Division.


    Once they arrived in their next class, the group of friends took their seats next to each other, and class soon began.


    "Our duty as teachers here in the Elementary Division is to prepare each and every last one of you for the Middle School Division. When students reach the next division, they will form teams, take on requests, and journey throughout Astral, sometimes to other countries in order to successfully complete the request their team takes on," said Mr. Grey, their grouchy History teacher.


    This wasn''t the first time he made this speech nor was he the only one. More and more teachers were starting to say the exact same thing. Expressing the difficulties they would encounter and how it was nothing like the Elementary Division.


    Honestly, it was starting to make Maria a little scared of becoming a Middle School student. Something which her big-brother along with Isis would be next year, seeing how both were in their last year as Elementary students.


    Turning her gaze towards the window, Maria sighed. ''Time truly does fly.''


    ?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?


    The very next day was Saturday, meaning no school; currently walking down the roads of the capital city, Maira was making her way towards a popular dessert store that she saw advertised on the Crystal TV.


    An object that was made by placing a Crystal Butterfly inside a special magical vase that would project a holographic screen which in turn acted similar to regular TV in modern times.


    "It shouldn''t be too far, ojou-sama!" said Shirone, standing on Maria''s left.


    "Maa, how about we try out some of their religieuses, ojou?" eagerly asked a drooling Kuroka, standing on her right side.


    "Kuroka, behave." Shirone lightly scolded her younger twin sister, who pouted. Smiling to herself, Maria felt just as eager as Kuroka, increasing her footsteps just so they could get there faster.


    "C''mon, babe, stop playing so hard to get. I''m just trying to ask you out for drinks."


    "I said no! Now get your hands off me!"


    The distraction caused Maria to pause in her footsteps. Not far ahead, right outside of an alleyway, a man was public harassing a woman that Maria could not get a good look at. The man grabbed her wrist, trying to wrap an arm around her waist as she struggled against him.


    The woman''s voice was quite loud, and though there were not that many people out on the streets, Maria was still surprised that none of them had come to the poor woman''s aid.


    "Stop being so loud; I''m just looking for a good time~!"


    He was an old drunk, gripped the woman''s arm, sleazy hand wandering down the slender curve of her body. Such a sight disgusted Maria.


    "Kuroka, step in and save that woman," ordered Maria. In a blink of an eye, Kuroka disappeared.


    "Why don''t you just come back to my room? Once there you can scream all you want."


    The man stuck his booze breath close to the woman''s face, unaware when the color of the woman''s eyes changed into a predatory glare, only to vanish when she sensed a third presence.


    "Hello~! Under the orders of my adorable ojou-sama, I demand that you let go of this innocent woman, you awful piece-of-shit!" cheerfully announced Kuroka, despite the crude language she used to address the man, leaving the drunk, the woman, and her ojou-sama speechless, staring at her smiling cute face.


    "You... You bitch! Get the hell away from here!" angrily shouted the man, not that Kuroka minded, a smile still placed on her face.


    "Haha, even your breath smells like shit! You are truly a disgrace to society!"


    Kuroka not only insulted the man, yet again, but this time she even laughed in his face. Further pissing off the man, his face grew red with anger, shoving the woman so he could attack Kuroka.


    "You annoying little bitch! I''ll teach you a lesson for insulting me!" shouted the man. Right before he could even land an attack on Kuroka, a swift and elegant kick from the dark-haired Neko maid sent the man flying across the street, where his body slammed into a wall, knocking him instantly unconscious.


    Staring at her outstretched leg, Kuroka spotted a drop of blood on her shoes and pouted. "Mou, you even dirted my shoes, you disgusting bastard."


    ''Savagery!'' mentally exclaimed a shocked Maria, describing Kuroka''s use of words and actions.


    "Ojou-sama, I saved the damsel in distress! Can we go get dessert now?" yelled Kuroka, causing her older sister to sigh and walk over. Once close enough, Shirone chopped her younger sister on the head using her hand.


    "Next time tone it down some. You caused an unwanted scene. Now apologize to ojou-sama." Shirone was once again scolding Kuroka.


    "But I got rid of that disgusting insect just like ojou-sama ordered!" Kuroka defended herself.


    "You could''ve used a different method!"


    While the two sisters argued, the damsel in distress made her way over to Maria to offer her thanks.


    "I was just told from your adorable maid that you were the one who ordered her to step in and save me just then. Is there something I can offer you as my thanks, little rabbit?" charmingly smiled the woman.


    Maria found herself speechless as she stared into the eyes of this stunningly gorgeous woman who rivaled a supermodel with her perfect heart-shaped face, hour-glass figure, and those seductive eyes that made one unable to look away from her.


    ''Is this novel just filled with over the top beautiful women?!''


    Maria exclaimed in her head, feeling just a small ounce of envy, knowing that even when the original Maria grew up, her looks would never measure up to her rivals and other female characters that were introduced and described in the novel.


    ''This world is truly unfair!'' depressingly thought Maria.

 29 Meeting New People

    "You don''t have to worry about that; no woman should have to suffer what you just went through," said Maria, her words caused the woman to smile.


    "Even if you say that, I still feel that I must compensate you somehow. Oh, how''s this? I heard news of this popular bakery shop that just opened up in town. How about I treat you to some delicious desserts?" offered the woman. Maria''s ears perked up once she realized both her and this woman were heading towards the same place.


    "We were just heading there. How about we go together, Ms...?"


    "You can just call me Cordelia."


    "Okay, Cordelia!"


    "Now..." Cordelia hooked arms with Maria, shooting the younger girl a charming smile. "How about we name all our favorite desserts? I am a big fan of souffl¨¦s. How about you?" From afar, both Shirone and Kuroka watched their ojou-sama happily chatter with the beautiful and mysterious woman.


    Kuroka regarded Cordelia with a contemplative gaze as her mind flashed back to that large hostile presence she sensed seconds before she interfered. "There is something about that woman that is not normal."


    "I sense the same thing, but as long as she proves to not be a threat to ojou-sama, we will not interfere. But just in case, we should keep an eye on her," said Shirone.


    The group continued towards the destination and before long they were standing in front of this extremely adorable dessert shop called Bonbons Ange. The interior was very creative with every piece of furniture made to resemble some type of dessert. There was a macaron chandelier and a display case that resembled a five-tier cake filled with an assortment of petit fours, soft flaky and buttery croissants, cream-filled iced ¨¦clairs, and of course Maria''s favorite dessert, macarons!


    Those were just some of the desserts the shop offered. "Ojou, look, they do sell religieuses!" exclaimed Kuroka, pointing towards the case of religieuse desserts.


    "Should I order some to go along with anything else that you may like?" Shirone asked though Maria was too busy awing and drooling over all the cases of desserts to answer. Seeing her actions, a voice giggled.


    "Maa, she truly is adorable." The voice who said this belonged to none other than Cordelia. When it was their turn, both Maria and Cordelia made their order to the person standing behind the counter. They packed the two orders in this cute pastel pink box packaging, which they handed over right after the order was paid for by Cordelia.


    "This is me showing my thanks for you coming to my rescue, little rabbit," Cordelia said to Maria once they exited out Bonbons Ange.


    "You really didn''t have to do that, but thank you anyway. I''m glad that I got to meet you." Maria expressed her sincerity, only to be caught off guard when she was embraced in a tight hug.


    "Aww, you''re such an adorable little rabbit~!"


    ''Ah, she reminds me a little of okaa-sama.'' Rather Maria was talking about the way Cordelia was affectionately hugging her or the woman buxom breast remained unannounced. While Cordelia was hugging Maria in the middle of the street, a woman searching for someone or something caught sight of the pale blonde woman and made her way towards the two as her eyes brightened.


    "So this is where you''ve been. I''ve looked everywhere for you." Maria''s face was being smothered, not allowing her to see the face of this new stranger. Eventually, she was no longer inhaling Cordelia''s flowery scent perfume as the woman had instantly let her go, excitedly rushing over to the other woman.


    "Darling~!"


    Cordelia rushed forward, a love-struck look in her eyes, seconds later clutching a shorter woman''s arms to her chest. Maria couldn''t help but notice the embarrassing light dusting of pink that covered the tan woman''s cheeks. She had long symmetrical black and white hair with many tiny bells and Maria noticed the two gun holsters attached to her waist.


    "Darling, you would never believe what happened to me. I was on my way to Bonbons Ange, you know that cute little bakery shop I was telling you about earlier. When all of sudden this sleazy drunk started harassing me out of nowhere. It was so scary until little rabbit here ordered her cute maid to step in and save me. She''s my little hero~!" Cordelia retold the whole scenario that happened earlier today.


    "You were scared, huh?" Cordelia''s ''darling'' shot the taller blonde a discreet look that was returned with an innocent pout. Seeing such an expression, the woman shook her head and introduced herself to Maria.


    "Thanks for saving this drama queen over here. The name''s Paige."


    "I''m Maria~!"


    "Though I like calling her little rabbit!" piped in Cordelia.


    "She does remind me of a rabbit. We best meet up with the others; I just got my hands on a quest offering a hefty reward. The rest of the party are waiting for us at Bay Tavern," urgently addressed Paige. Upon hearing the words ''quest'' and ''rewards,'' Maria couldn''t help but ask,


    "Wait... Are you two adventurers?"


    "Yep! I''m the leader of the adventurer party, Outlaws." Paige introduced herself.


    ''Wow, a real adventure!'' Maria had always heard of them of many fantasy genre anime she had read back in her old, but this was her first seeing on in the flesh.


    Cordelia and Paige exchanged a few more words with Maria before both became aware of the time and made a hasty exit, though not before addressing Maria.


    "It was nice meeting Cordelia''s savior. I hope we can meet again!" said Paige.


    "See ya, little rabbit~!" Cordelia blew her a kiss and winked as Maria waved them good-bye, watching as they disappeared down the streets.


    "It seems like I made two new friends today. Today was nice~! Now let''s head back so I can try out these religieuses." Maria ran off ahead with Kuroka and Shirone distressingly yelling out to her as they ran to catch up.


    ?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?


    "This Paige seems really interesting. I think I have heard that name somewhere before... Hmm on well! Hey, Maria wants to hear how your mother''s mom first met you dad?" Once back at the manor, Maria sat next to her mother, sharing her dessert as they talked. Spending some quality mother and daughter time together.


    "Sure!"


    "Yay! You see unlike your father, I did not attend the academy. I was home-schooled by teachers sent to my home and was trained by your grandpa. When I was still training, your grandpa sent me out on a mission. A mission I was determined to succeed if a certain smartass hadn''t gotten in my way back then. Now I love your Papa, but when we first met, I thought of him as nothing more than an arrogant smartass that I despised."


    Maria was shocked by her mother''s blunt confession, unable to believe that there was actually a time where the sweet overly affectionate woman felt such contempt for her father. Especially with the way those two were always acting so lovey-dovey with each other by constantly showering each other with affection in their own individual ways.


    "Your father attending the academy when we first met, and students from the academy tend to not leave behind the best of impressions. Then again what do you expect from a bunch of rich spoiled brats, not that my adorable Micheal and Maira are anything like that." Maria sweatdropped at the way her mother proudly defended her children.


    ''Mom, that''s favoritism.''


    "You see, while the academy doles out missions to their students, none of them are life-threatening. The academy is filled with children from noble class families who have no problem raining down hell if their child''s life is in danger." This was something Maria could understand, having witnessed the behavior behind the children at the academy and the majority were spoiled rotten.


    "Only guilds receive a highly dangerous request. Now don''t get me wrong, no matter how much I dislike the thought, there will be times when you will come back from a mission injured but never will it be life-threatening. The academy has a last resort item, issued out to students once they enter the Middle School Division, stopping this from happening."


    Listening to her mother, Maria was reminded of the words her grandfather concerning the students only taking mission from wealthy and not the poor. She realized how the academy coddle the students, their enrollment as Diamon Academy student was nothing more but a trophy with no real achievement behind it.


    "Oh, look at the time! Time for someone to get to bed as me and you are going on a shopping spree tomorrow, but not before getting brunch and-Oh! Maybe we can even get mani-padi''s!"


    Listening to her mother list out all the plans she had in store for them tomorrow, Maria knew that tomorrow was going to be a long day.

 30 Mother-Daughter Bonding Time

    "Now that was a lovely shopping trip; don''t you agree, my adorable Maria?"


    Maria was strolling down the street with her mother, walking side-by-side while Kuroka and Shirone trailed behind them. For two hours Maria watched as her mother picked out a variety of outfits and dresses to try on for themselves. If she liked them, her mother ordered for them to be delivered to the Rosendrey manor.


    They had gotten up early this morning, Shirone and Kuroka dressing Maria in a simple pastel yellow turtleneck top with puffy sleeves and in a plaid pastel yellow and pink short pleated skirt. Silk pink ribbons were used to tie her hair into pigtails; around her neck was the necklace that Mai had won during the Amare Carnival.


    Her mother''s choice of attire matched the same color theme of Maria''s own outfit, seeing how she was going for the whole mother and daughter matching look today. After getting dressed, they left to go get brunch at Sunny Rose.


    A very nice eatery that many women in the capital tended to love visiting. Then after brunch, they went shopping for clothes, and now they were heading to Black Swan Boutique for a spa and nail treatment. When they finally reached the location, Maria was met with this large navy opulent building.


    Once through the door, a chic and stylish lady escorted them inside and led them to this high-scale white room, furnished with a gold couch and two chairs sitting across from each other; rows of artistic nail polish bottles covered the wall. In front of the couch was an oval-shaped glass coffee table.


    The lady handed them a template just as they took their seats. "Welcome to Black Swan Boutique! We offer a unique and luxurious experience to all of our clients. Once you have picked out the style of nails you would like to have done, you can make your way past this door. Until then, please enjoy your stay, Countess Rosendrey."


    There was no doubt that this lady was a professional, the smile on her face never wavering, polite at all times. Saying what needed to be said, the woman left the room. After the lady had left, it took thirty minutes just to pick out the shade of pink nail polish that would look good on Maria.


    "I''m telling you, ojou would look perfect in blush pink!" proclaimed Kuroka, refusing to back down.


    "No, carnation pink really suits ojou-sama," Shirone calmly suggested.


    "Maria would look the cutest in cherry blossom pink!" exclaimed her pouting affectionate mother with her hands on her hips. Maria honestly did not see what the big deal was but she was happy when they all found a color that they all agreed on.


    Once they decided on what type of nails they were getting done, Maria and her mother was led through yet another door and walked inside a medium-sized room filled with soft navy blue and gold cushioned spa chairs and saw a teenage looking girl heading in their direction.


    "Hi~! I''m Kei, the person who will be serving you this evening~!" The girl had dark chocolate skin, yellow and purple hair styled in space buns with an aesthetic pop-style appearance. It was after they took their seats that another mother and daughter pair were led through the door.


    "Maria?!"


    "Mai?!"


    "Ara... Just who is this person, Mai?" The one asking this question was a highly attractive woman, silky strands of raven hair pooled down her back and shoulder blades, a pair of gold eyes peered warmly in Maria''s direction.


    ''She looks like an Egyptian goddess!'' said Maria, noting the woman had looks that could rival the archduchess.


    "This is my best friend Maria I''m always telling you about!" Mai excitedly explained to the woman standing beside her.


    "Ah, is this little cutie by any chance Mai? The little girl my daughter can''t stop talking about!" said Countess couldn''t stop herself from smiling, pointing her sparkling gaze towards Mai, interested in hearing what the other girl had to say.


    "Yes, that would be me! You must be Maria''s mother? Wow, you two really look alike!" Mai shot a glance at both her best friend and the countess, only to be taken back a bit when Maria''s mother released a loud squeal at the compliment.


    "You are truly a cutie~! Cleo, you didn''t tell me you had such an adorable daughter. You''ve been holding back on me." The Countess Rosendrey calmed herself down as she familiarly addressed the other woman.


    "I never have time since you''re always bragging about your adorable Maria-chan. Which I''m finally happy to have met by the way. Mai says a lot of good things about you. I''m glad that she has a friend to confide in." Hearing such compliments from a beautiful person, Maria bashfully looked away but in her heart, she felt warm and happy to hear such words.


    ''So this is the famous Duchess Dior... the beautiful woman who killed her husband. Though she had legitimate reasons for doing so.''


    Due to her sudden transmigration, Maria was unable to finish the novel, but she knew of Duchess Dior''s character. A woman whose past was filled with pain and her life only got worse when she was forced to marry a duke from a different country. There another key fact that Maria was reminded of when she saw the duchess and Mai together.


    ''The duchess is Mai''s stepmother; Mai''s real mother...'' Maria stared dolefully at her best friend, masking her gloom with a bright smile once Mai rushed over and sat next to her.


    "At first I didn''t really wanna come here, but mother talked me into it. So what nails are you getting?"


    "Strawberry pink, you?"


    "Lapis!"


    ?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?


    "Ojou-sama''s nails fit her perfectly~!" gushed Kuroka. Maria stared at her strawberry pink coated nails with her middle finger painted yellow with cute pink flower designs that had a tiny pink diamond in the middle.


    "I think Mai''s nails are really cute. It suits you." Maria admired Mai''s lapis blue painted nails with a yellow star design on her middle and thumb nail. After leaving Black Swan Boutique, Duchess Dior suggested that they all go and visit the capitol''s second popular jewelry store called New Moon Palace.


    "Your Grace, it''s good seeing you again!" greeted a brown-hair woman and owner of New Moon Palace.


    Once inside, Maria saw that the building was very luxurious; sparkling gems and diamonds lit up the place. It was as if they just walked inside an ornate and refined treasure chest. Every crafted piece of jewelry sold inside this building was pure art; it was no wonder this place was insanely popular amongst noblewoman here in the capital.


    "This is Layla, owner of New Moon Palace, and a long time friend of mine. A few years ago, New Moon Palace was robbed but thankfully the stolen items were returned. Funny, how the thief was caught by my two daughters."


    Listening to the Duchess Dior story, Maria was reminded of the Amare Carnival and how it was thanks to Mai and Isis that the con artist who was cheating people out of their money and giving stolen magical items as prizes was finally put behind bars due to his crimes.


    "Wait, so this is a magical item store?" Maria asked Mai, but since her question was overheard by the owner, she answered for Mai.


    "Why yes, little ojou-sama! New Moon Palace was voted as the capital''s second-best jewelry store but number one magical items store. Here we offer nothing but the rarest and best of acquisitions. We''re also insanely expensive, so you better have money if your shopping here." The woman smugly smirked and gestured for the group to follow her, leading them towards a glass display case.


    Inside, Maria saw a sparkling green and pastel pink round crown embedded with colorful gems; the gold sun-shaped base in the middle had a large pink star-shaped crystal in the center. The shards'' edges that jutted out at the top were each tipped with a white pearl. The star in the center twinkled, emitting a bright glow.


    "The Fairy Queen''s Crown. It grants the user potent healing powers. There are very few that exist, and only a limited number of people can afford such a rare beauty," boasted Layla, pointing to the price tag that was displayed underneath.


    A price that made the Countess gasp, Shirone and Kuroka face pale, Mai''s eyes grew comically large, and Maria felt as if her soul almost left her body.


    The price read: 10, 000, 0000 Gold Star Coins.


    ''So... So many zeros!''

 31 Mais Sorrowful Pas

    After browsing around New Moon Palace, the duchess kindly escorted them back to the Goldstein Manor. The manor itself was stunning with intricate Persian architecture and exotic flower beds blooming everywhere. Once escorted through the door, a line of maids and butlers greeted them along with three eye-catching figures that stood in front of the staircase.


    "So happy to see you return back home, my grace." The first to greet the duchess was a regal handsome man with shiny pale blonde hair, kneeling down on one knee as he softly kissed the back of her hand.


    "I already ordered the staff to arrange a place in the Spring Pavillion for you and your guests, my grace," said a stern but attractive male with dark blue hair like the night sky and silver eyes that glittered like the moon.


    "Honey, I missed you~!" Happily throwing her arms around the duchess''s neck, with no regards to manners, was a lively petite woman with long curly waist-length dark pink glittery hair that was styled into loose pigtails.


    Upon seeing these three, something in Maria''s head clicked. ''Ah, that''s right! These three are Duchess'' Dior lovers! I almost forgot how in this world polygamy is legal!''


    In this world, it was normal to see a man having more than one woman, which isn''t that much of a shocker. But a woman could also share this same privilege, yet this action is highly frowned down upon by most nobles and is considered shameful. A reason why it was rare to see a woman married to more than one husband or wife.


    "Lullaby, you''re being disrespectful in front of our Grace''s guests." The silver-eyed male reprimed the petite woman.


    "Mou, Liam stop being such a grouch. Honey doesn''t seem to have a problem with my manners." Lullaby pouted her lips childishly.


    "Lullaby, Liam is right. When in the presence of guests you must always act with manners." The duchess softly comforted the pouting woman by patting her affectionately on the head. "Now, let''s head towards the Spring Pavilion."


    Once the group reached the Spring Pavilion, both Duchess Dior male husbands took their leave, seeing how they had business to take care of thus leaving only Lullaby behind. After refreshments were placed on the table, Maria finally asked the question that had been on her mind.


    "Mom, how are you acquainted with the Duchess? "


    "Oh, the duchess and I go way back. We met sometime after I married your father, during Lady Lilian, Spring Banquet."


    "How could I ever forget such a memorable day? Your mother made quite an impression on the other noble ladies that day." chuckle Duchess Dior, calmly taking a sip of her tea.


    "I wasn''t born into a noble house but I married into one. So some of the ladies were biased against me from the get-go and my commoner-military background didn''t make it any better, " there was a bitter smile expressed on the countess''s face as she recalled those stuck-up ladies.


    "Your mother has a very free and expressive attitude that tends to clash against the noble ladies here in the capital. They dislike those that go against their rules of conduct, treating those certain individuals as outsiders." It seems Duchess Dior wasn''t just talking about the countess but herself as well.


    "They think of me as an unruly country bumpkin with little etiquette and brains. Ha, as if I care what those stuck-up women think of me!" The countess folded her arms and puffed out her chest.


    "Don''t worry, mom, I love you just the way you are~!" Maria beamed an adorable smile at her mother, having meant each word she said, hoping to cheer her mother up.


    "Oh, my precious, Maria! Mommy loves you too~!" Maria began regretting her action when her mother embraced her in her arms; her head was currently buried in her buxom bosom. Her oxygen was cut off and she had no way to escape.


    Luckily, Kuroka and Shirone quickly came to her aide, though it took a while before the countess freed Maria. While all of this was taking place, Mai couldn''t help but watch the mother and daughter scene with a content smile and even laughed when the countess stubbornly refused to let Maria go.


    "My Lady, please let ojou-sama go. She can''t breathe!" Shirone distressingly informed.


    "Shirone, are you trying to call me fat?!"


    "O-Of course not, My Lady!"


    "Ah, I think ojou-sama''s body just went still," Kurok pointed out, leaving Shirone to cry out in panic.


    "My Lady, please let go! Let go!"


    When all was done, Maria greedily inhaled all the oxygen she could once Countess let go of her.


    "Ah, I almost saw the pearly white gates this time."


    "Countess, you need to learn how to control your strength. Mai, why don''t you and Maria-chan do some exploring while the Countess and I talk?" suggested the Duchess as Mai eagerly jumped from her seat and raced over to Maria, grabbing the girl hand as they disappeared into the garden.


    "The direction Mai-chan''s taking her, isn''t that where..."


    Instead of answering Lullaby''s question, Duchess Dior remained silent, eyes staring at the direction the two girls just ran off towards.


    ?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?


    "Mai, where are we going?" Maria asked her friends, blindly allowing Mai to drag her along. Though even she was curious about their destination. Mai was running so fast that Maria was unable to admire all the exotic flowers that were blooming in the gardens. After a while, Mai finally stopped running and let go of Maria''s wrist.


    What appeared before them was a sea of white jasmine flowers; colorful butterflies were fluttering in the air, creating the perfect harmony. That was not the only thing that caught Maria''s attention.


    Following behind Mai, the two stopped in front of a huge angel carved tombstone. The engraving on the tombstone read: In Loving Memory of Jasmine.


    "Hi, mom. I always said that when I brought my first friend home I would introduce them to you." Even though there was a smile on Mai''s face, an air of melancholy surrounding her. This was Maria''s first time witnessing such an emotion coming from Mai of all people, so used to seeing the girl being lively and fearless.


    (Start Video)


    "When I saw you and your mom, it brought back memories of the times I shared with my own mom. I am a bastard child, born from a horrible man and a poor maid. When Duke Dior was still alive, he took a trip to where the duchess once lived and instantly became infatuated with her beauty." Mai began to tell the story of how Duke Dior first met the duchess.


    "When it came time for him to leave, he offered her family tons of gold, just so he could have her hand in marriage. Instead of fighting for her, the duchess father relinquished his daughter to the duke without a fight, who then her brought back to Astral with him." Maria patiently listened to Mai, detecting a touch of anger and grief in the girl''s voice.


    "The duke constantly spoiled the duchess and his eldest daughter, big-sis Isis with nothing but luxury, but one night, he forced himself onto a maid who later bore him a second child. That maid was my mother who had loyally followed the duchess from her home country. Since the day I was born, he abused both of us. Always venting his anger onto us. Saying that it was my birth mother''s fault for seducing him! That it was because of her that the duchess did not return his love!"


    The air of animosity Mai was releasing scared Maria. The abuse the duke gave Mai and her mother had permitted left scars that most likely still have not fully head yet. Mai once cheery and warm voice suddenly took on a hard edge as she continued with her story.


    "We lived in fear each day. The duchess and Isis tried to help us, but their sincerity only made the Duke hate us more. So they put a stop to it whenever the Duke was home. I always thought that as long as I had my mom, I could get through each day." Mai took a breath of air, trying to keep her voice steady and calm, but the pain she felt everything she recalled this particular memory cause teardrop to fall down her cheeks.


    "Until that day happened; the duke had returned back to the manor in a rage, and since I was the first person he saw that evening, he immediately vented his anger out on me. I can barely remember what happened next; the only thing I remember is the heavy blows of his fist connecting with my body, my mother screaming as she rushed forth and embraced me in her arms. Taking the blows meant for me, never loosening her hold, even when blood trickled down her forehead."


    "Mai, mom is sorry for being weak."


    "If I was stronger, maybe I could have protected you better."


    "No matter what happens, Mai, always remember that mommy loves you."


    "During the beating I must have passed out, seeing how the next morning when I woke up, I had learned that my mother died from the injuries inflicted on her from the Duke when she had come to my rescue. Two days later, the duke mysteriously died from an unknown illness."


    Fist balled tight, Mai felt angry at herself, "Even after the death of that man, I still blamed myself. It was my own weakness that killed my mom. That was why I made a vow to myself. Never again will I ever feel so powerless. That next time, I will protect those precious to me!"


    Maria felt tears sting her eyes, seeing this strong, beautiful, and confident girl, who despite her tormented past, refused to let the shackles of her past hold her down. Despite all the pain Mai must have endured, she still had the strength to run towards her future. Suddenly Maria gripped her chest as a sharp pain of nostalgia hit her, a familiar face flashed into her mind.


    ''Granny? Why did her face suddenly flashed in my head!'' Maria raised a hand to her forehead, feeling a sharp pain from not only her head but also her heart. ''Why when I saw granny face... my heart feels so heavy and empty?''


    "Maria, are you okay?" It was Mai''s voice that stopped Maria from going into full panic mode. Staring into those large amber eyes, Mai was caught off guard when Maria suddenly pulled her into a hug.


    ''I can worry about my own problems later...'' Maria knew now was not the time to be worried about herself and push her own problems aside.


    "Nothing was your fault, Mai. You are so brave. That sometimes I wished I possessed the same confidence as you. Your mom loved you very much and she is so proud of the person you are turning out to be." Breaking away from her, Maria held Mai''s hand and faced the gravestone with a smile on her face.


    "Hello, Mai''s mom! I''m Maria~! A friend to your daughter, and as long as Mai will allow it, I hope that we can remain friends until the end of time. Thank you for giving birth to such a wonderful person. Don''t worry, I''ll try to watch over her recklessness."


    Mai was speechless as she stared at Maria. Those big amber eyes were suddenly filled with tears, throwing her arms around Maria''s neck who returned the hug. In no time, the scene suddenly changed into two girls, standing in the center of jasmine flowers, butterflies flying around them, crying of sadness and happiness while in each other arms.

 32 Special Encounter

    Sitting inside of a vast, glamorous room filled with luxurious items and furniture was a woman whose appearance was shrouded in the shadows. Kneeling before the woman was a familiar purple-haired woman. Replacing her usual scowl was a trembling smile, shoulder quivering from the intensity of the woman''s glare that was aimed at her.


    "Last time when I called you here, I asked for only one simple request, dispose of Archduchess Scarlet, and eliminate the House of Scarlet. Did you ever wonder the cause of asking such a task from you?" The woman''s voice was calm and firm; not a hint of anger could be detected but that only made the other woman on the ground tremble worse.


    "No, your majesty, I only wanted to get the job done and get rewarded. T-There was no need for me to understand your intentions," shakily answered the woman; the sweat from her eyes dropped to the ground like raindrops.


    "The answer is really simple. It''s because I despise the sight of them." The intensity of hatred that brewed in that woman''s eyes was a sharp blade that could cut through steel.


    A flare of overwhelming power poured out of her, causing the room to vibrate and the glass to crack. The woman kneeling on the ground felt as if a hand was wrapped around her neck, squeezing the life from her before quickly vanishing.


    "Did you know, before I married the emperor, at first I was betrothed to the next heir of the Scarlet House? He was a gentleman; never once did he treat me wrongly; plus he was handsome like a shining fair prince that only appeared in the novels." A sweet fond smile marred the woman''s face as she recalled old memories.


    "It was instantly love-at-first-sight for me; I could see our happy future together. When he confessed how he did not love me and that we should annul our arranged marriage, I refused him."


    Rising gracefully from her chair, the woman made her way to the window and gazed out towards the full moon that illuminated the dark skies. She reached out her hand and placed it gently against the cool surface of the window; a wry smile displayed itself on her face.


    "You see, since I first saw that man, I branded him as mine. No other could have him except for me. Even if he did not love me at the beginning, I believed that after some time had passed, he would grow feelings of love towards me."


    Suddenly a sarcastic laugh escaped from her; ruby manicured designed nails were sharp enough to scratch the window, and her pearly white teeth bit down hard on her lower lip. "But then one day, after coming back from a seven-month scouting trip, he returned with a woman and that woman was none other than the current Archduchess of the Scarlet House." Blood began to drip down the edges of her crimson lips.


    "A woman of unknown origin suddenly came and stole away my possession. It was supposed to be me he pampered and love! Me who he fought for and stood proudly at my side! I was the one who should have bore him a son!"


    The beautiful woman of elegance and poise quickly reacted as if she was possessed by something, a crazed look in her eyes. "After he betrayed me and married that destitute woman, I vowed for vengeance! No matter how long it took, House of Scarlet would fall at my feet, but I couldn''t do that as the daughter of a powerless aristocrat house. No, I extended my sight onto something much grander."


    Smirking, she recalled the many lives that she tormented, manipulated, and discarded away to get to where she was now; the woman felt not an ounce of remorse.


    "No one other than my trusted maid, Linda, knows of methods I used to pave my path, and throughout it all, my thirst for vengeance for the House of Scarlet only grew stronger. But along with that so did my thirst for power, which brings us to the current subject of discussion."


    The woman strolled back over to the sofa and took a seat. "In order for me to become Empress Dowager, my son must inherit the throne, even though he had been crowned as the Crown Prince, his position has yet to become stable. Other than my son, the emperor has two more children, Prince Cloud and Princess Luna."


    Possessing the elegance and poise from before, the woman reached towards the table, lifting a proclaim cup to her lips. "Ever since he witnessed the tragic death of his mother, Prince Cloud''s state of mind has never been the same, so there is no need to worry about him. My biggest concern rests on Princess Luna, daughter of Lady Elaria, from the elf clan." These latter two names brought a sense of displeasure to the woman.


    "Astral''s relationship with the elf clan is important because of the magic crystal trade we have with them. Which we only value because of their territory that is abundant with magic crystals. If it weren''t because of this, I could''ve eliminated that elf-slut before she had the change to bear a child."


    A spike of annoyance could be spotted in the woman''s eyes, speaking of eliminating another person''s life as if it was no big deal to her. "I can''t let that slut gain power, luckily I managed to dissipate some of the emperor affection for her, but it''s not enough."


    A cruel smirk marred the woman''s face, "I must eliminate both Princess Luna and Lady Elaria. Not only must I rid them from existence, but the elf-clan must vanish. If they vanish, we can get our hands on their lands. But in order to achieve their land, the alliance between the elf-clan and Astral must be broken, which I have a plan to break."


    "To achieve this plan, their death must be guaranteed which is why I need you to eliminate Princess Luna. Diamond Academy has a camping trip coming up soon. You''ll strike than as she''ll have no protection to save her. Oh, and I need it to be brutal and merciless as possible so that Lady Elaria will do the of well... taking her own life."


    The smile that appeared on the woman''s face was terrifying. Kneeling on the ground, the woman couldn''t help but tremor with the fear. Even though she was a mercenary that killed for a living, the piles of bodies she left behind could not compare to this fearsome woman sitting regally in front of her.


    For the first time, she felt inferior. Many labeled her a demon, but this woman before her was nothing more than a devil wearing human flesh.


    "Your wish is my command, your majesty."


    ?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?


    During breaktime, Maria was strolling through the corridor outside of Diamond Academy. Usually, she would be with Mai and Julian but both were occupied with other things, leaving just Maria with her thoughts. ''Why when a picture of granny appeared in my head, my heart felt so heavy and void? Now that I think about it, it like their a piece of my memory missing.''


    Maria contemplated, clutched her head in frustration, paying no attention to where she was heading. Wonder why the thought of her grandmother from her old world, sprung forth this aching pain in her chest as it was someone was clutching at it.


    ''Something is not right.'' Maria allowed her feet in control of her destination while pondering on her thoughts and took this chance to view her surroundings. The corridors of the academy were like mazes, the exterior of the academy was grand but also simple.


    Soon her eyes were peering outside to the fresh greenery of the trees and grass, the aromatic smell of flowers was the air, emeralds eyes taking in the vivid colors of the flowers blooming everywhere; everything was truly breathtaking.


    Taking a left to where the corridor branched off, Maria continued admiring the view and that was when she came upon a sight that made her pause. Lying fast asleep on a bench was Astral''s very own Princess Luna, but that wasn''t what caught Maria''s attention.


    No, it was the two girls behind the bench holding a freaking caged tarantula above her head. "Ha, this will put her in her place and teach her not to compete with Belle-sama!" said the girl with short hair.


    "Belle-sama is a thousand times prettier than this princess!" insulted the second girl with hair pulled up into pigtails.


    Towards that last remark, the words that came to mind were, ''Yeah, you definitely need to get your eyes checked.'' Seeing the girls about to open the cage, Maria sighed, seeing how she would have to go over there and save a damsel. Summoning forth her courage, Maria ran over and yelled,


    "Hey, you two! Get away from the princess!"


    The two girls were not expecting a voice to yell out to them, causing both to panic, and when they saw the princess about ready to open her eyes, they locked the caged that sealed the tarantula and booked it out of there.


    Rising from the bench, the princess caught sight of the two girls running away. Turning towards the voice that woke her up, amethyst clashed with emerald.


    "A-Are you okay, princess?"

 33 Reaching Out A Hand

    Hearing a voice softly call out to her, amethyst eyes slowly revealed themselves, catching sight of a blurry figure crouched down beside her. Once her vision was clear enough, the sleeping beauty arose and reached out towards the round furry object lying on her lap. "Milky, wake up," she softly called out to the furry object as Maria jolted when she saw the object reveal two large eyes.


    "Ah, is nap time over already?" it asked in a cute high-pitched, sleepy voice.


    "It talks?!" Maria was not expecting the round fur creature, lying the princess lap to talk. The cute creature was covered in an ombre of icy-blue, lavender, and pure-white soft fur.


    "May I ask what you are doing here?" The nice melodic voice drew Maria''s attention away from the bird and onto the expressionless princess. Feeling a bit shy, Maria stumbled over a few of her words, answering the princess'' question.


    "Two girls were about to drop a tarantula on your h-head, but don''t worry I s-stopped them!"


    Staring close into those glittering crystal clear amethyst orbs, a blush stained Maria''s chubby cheeks, finding the princess too pretty to stare at. Not taking heed to Maria''s shyness, amethyst eyes stared at the girl who had come to her side and asked,


    "Why?"


    "Huh?" Maria stared confusedly at the princess, unable to understand her response.


    "Why would you help me? Helping me would gain you nothing," Not a hint of emotion could be detected in Princess Luna''s voice when asked of this and that was when Maria noticed that within the depth of those jeweled amethyst orbs, swan loneliness. A type of loneliness Maria was very familiar with; back in her old world, Maria could never make any true friends.


    There was never anyone who she could relate to, seeing how all the girls her age were into popular idols, celebrity gossip, and dating. The boys weren''t much better, always debating on who was the hottest girl in class and bullying the weak and timid.


    Thus Maria was left on her own, even though she had her granny who she recalled loved her dearly. She never had someone her own age to joke around and have fun with, something which used to sadden her before she came to this world and met Mai and Julian.


    "Because it was the right thing to do. I didn''t do it to gain anything from you." Peering inside those emerald large orbs, where there was nothing but pure sincerity, something which came as a surprise to the princess.


    Being born into royalty, one experienced the true dark side of people at a young age, since the day she was born. No one could imagine the immoral things she, a child none the less, had either experienced or witnessed.


    Such events caused her to close her heart to everyone around her except for her kind mother, who, if it weren''t for still being alive, constantly protecting her from the schemes of the current Empress, the young princess would''ve already been dead by now or ended up in a similar state as her other half-brother.


    Her relationship with Alan was not a good one, better to say that their brother and sister relationships did not even exist. Which was normal to children born in the royal family, birthed by a number of different women, all who belonged to the emperor.


    The fight for the throne tended to always turn gruesome as their need for survival or their thirst for power all depended on the children they birthed. An example of this was the skyrocketed number of the emperor''s mistresses, childless women who were all easily disposed of by none other than the empress herself.


    Eliminating any threat before they could give birth, woman monopolizing the emperor''s affection towards only herself.


    Using her evil schemes, the empress always made things harder for the young princess'' mother to the point that even the emperor, her own blood father, was now dissatisfied with her mother. Losing one of her main pillars of support, both mother and daughter''s situation in the palace had become difficult.


    Lady Ealria was slowly losing the support of the nobles on her side, her own half-brother Alan hated her, something which he displayed in public. People only sought to use her status and secretly mocked her behind their backs. Which was why Maria''s sincere actions truly shocked the young princess.


    "Say, how about you join me and my friends for lunch? You can decline if you want to." Maria didn''t want to force the princess into anything against her will but at the same time wanted to at least ask, giving the princess the option to accept or not.


    "You''re inviting me to hang out with your friends?" The princess seemed uneasy towards Maria''s friendly suggestion but calmed down once the other girl smiled warmly at her.


    "Yes! Don''t worry, my friends are super nice and have no ill will towards you," Maria reassured the princess just in time for the next bell to issue, meaning that it was now time for lunch. After removing herself from the bench, Maria surprised the princess by reaching out towards her hands and clasping it in hers. Once their hands were clasped, Maria took off, dragging the princess along.


    Even after Maria, Julian, and Mai became third-years they still had their lunch in the same rose garden with the occasional visit from Richard and Akihiko. All who were present when Maria arrived with her new guest.


    "Hi, guys, meet Princess Luna! She''s joining us for lunch today~!" Maria happily announced, taking in all of the dumbstruck expressions on all those present.


    "Umm, did I just hear that right?" Akihito dropped the fork that he had stabbed into strawberry shortcake that rested on the table, almost falling out of his chair that he leaned back in, standing on only two legs.


    "I was not expecting this..." muttered Richard, blue eyes staring at the conjoined hands of the two girls and suddenly felt uneasy, instincts ringing alarm bells.


    "P-Princess?!" Poor Julian turned a ghostly pale, on the edge of fainting if Mai didn''t slam her hands on the table.


    "The princess is joining us?! No way?!" exclaimed Mai; running over to the two girls, she shook the princess'' other hand, shooting her a sunny grin.


    "Yo! I''m Mai, and that pale looking guy about to faint is Julian; the red-headed boy is Richard, and the dark-haired boy is Akihiko. Oh, and those two neko-maids are Shirone and Kuroka; they serve Maria." Mai was kind enough to go ahead and introduce everyone to the princess.


    Face emotionless as usual, Princess Luna ran her eyes over everyone that was introduced to her and noticed that besides the Scarlet heir, everyone else was new to her. Nodding her head, she put each name to memory.


    "I see... You all can just call me Luna," said the princess, unaware at how a few of the others felt a bit uncomfortable with calling the princess of Astral so familiarly.


    "Alright, Luna it is!" Well except for Mai who had no problem addressing the princess so intimately. Nodding her head towards Mai''s action, Maria decided to follow along.


    "Since you request it, from today forth I will address you as Luna," said Maria, only to hear in the distance someone calling out the princess'' name.

 34 Fall Camping Trip

    Hearing someone call out the princess''s name, they soon saw an elf maid with peach color hair blowing in the wind, rushing towards their direction. "Princess, this is where you''ve been!" Stopping to catch her breath, the maid placed a hand over her beating heart, happy to see that the princess was well and unharmed.


    A second later she realized that the princess was not alone, taking notice of the children."Umm, princess, who are these people?" The maid kindly stepped closer to the princess, bending down her head to whisper into her ear.


    Opening her mouth, she was ready to respond only to have the school bell cut off what she was about to say. The maid standing by her side hastily grabbed the princess''s wrist. "Princess, you can not be late. A tardy mustn''t ruin your perfect attendance." After saying this, the two figures quickly left the scene, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust behind.


    "Well... that was interesting." Akihiko rose from his chair, ready to leave, but paused as if he forgot something. Walking back over to Maria, soft chubby cheeks turned rosy when she felt a pair of light feathery lips peck her on the cheek.


    "Bye, Darling-Ack!" flirtatiously sang Akihiko with a wink, only to choke when the collar of his shirt was suddenly constricting his throat. The icy breeze coming nearby made him shudder as if he was stranded in the freezing winter with no source of warmth.


    "Akihiko, it looks like we''ll have to have another talk about you being inappropriate with Maria-chan." The warm gentle smile on Richard''s face only made Akihiko''s shudder even worse, noticing how those hint of malice in his best-friend aura.


    "W-Wait! Ri-chan, forgive-"


    "Not acceptable. Now let''s head on to class; see you tomorrow, Maria!" Richard shot the brunette a sincere and gentle smile before dragging the blue-faced Akihiko behind him.


    "Think he''s going to be okay?" asked Mai to which Maria answered with a blank face.


    "No."


    Now that Maria thought about it, Akihiko only started doing this new goodbye ritual of his a few months ago, and no matter how much Richard threatened him, he still didn''t stop. ''Hang in there, Akihiko!'' She wished the dark-haired boy well.


    Following the lead of those who left before them, the small group of three made their way to class, sitting in their seats, which allowed them to sit close by each other. The classroom was filled with the chattering of students, only to quiet down when their teacher walked inside the classroom.


    "Students, I have a big announcement to make. Three weeks from today you all will be taking a trip to Amber Mountain, where Diamond Academy will be hosting its annual camping trip. " This immediately got the student''s attention as everyone seemed familiar with their teacher''s subject of announcement.


    "The duration of this event is exactly one week. Now the purpose of this trip is to help you all grow by understanding and strengthening your magic," said their teacher as this caused the students to start whispering amongst each other.


    "So it''s finally that time, huh. If I remember correctly, this activity is only for third and fourth graders, allowing the two grades to blend and undergo activities together," Julian brought to their attention, only for it to be stolen by Mai when she snapped her fingers.


    "Meaning that Ri-senpai and Aki-senpai will be joining us! Yay, it''ll be just like lunchtime" cheered Mai having grown close to the two during the time they have spent together.


    Ever since the group of friends started hanging out a bit more with Akihiko and Richard, Mai had really warmed up and considered them proud members of their group. Even though both Mai and Maria were excited at the chance to hang out with the two, the same could not be said for Julian who felt a bit hesitant.


    Now don''t get him wrong, he considered the two to be nice people; it was just that he felt threatened by the two. Every time they were around they always acted a bit too close to Maria, especially Akihiko who''s lately grown the habit of kissing Maria''s cheek at the end of lunch. Each time he saw Richard lean over to wipe Maria''s cheek for her or Akihiko and his shameless inappropriate kisses, a sour feeling arose from him.


    He didn''t like it and yet he didn''t understand why, since Maria clearly had no problems with their treatment towards her. This was understandable, well in Richard''s case, due to him never stepping out of bounds; the Akihiko case still baffled him. Almost as if she could sense his discomfort, Maria gently placed her cheek on Julian''s cheek, bring him from out of his train of thought.


    "Julian, you feeling okay? You were frowning." Seeing her genuine care of concern for him, those big glistening emerald eyes peering up at him, feeling the cool gentle touch of her hand pressed against his cheek, just like last time during the ferris-wheel he felt his heart-pounding uncontrollably. A rush of heat consumed his cheeks.


    "I-I''m fine!" The flustered boy quickly turned his head away, leaving Maria clueless about the reason for his behavior.


    "Okay." Not wanting to rudely push the issue, Maria focused her mind on other things, such as this annual school trip. ''For some reason, I just don''t feel right. I''m almost positive that something bad will happens on this trip,'' For the remainder of class, Maria could not stop feeling uneasy about the upcoming trip.


    ???*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??*??


    Sitting inside a spacious room, draped with lavender curtains and bedsheets, the material and furniture inside was simple but also very luxurious. On the huge four-poster bed that could fit about five people sat Princess Luna, who was deeply enticed in the romance novel she was in the middle of reading. Just as her fingers touched the next page of the story, she was interrupted by a knock at her door.


    Just like a mouse scurrying away its cheese, the princess quickly hid the book under her pillow. Taking a deep breath, she regained her nonchalant expressionless face and let person on the other side of the door in, only for her eyes to meet with a person who looked very similar to herself but more mature and with light brownish silver hair.


    The woman in the green imperial gown gracefully walked over to the young girl sitting on the bed. "Mother, what brings you here today?" Luna asked her mother, who took a seat on her daughter''s bed.


    "I just wanted to visit you and to make sure you are doing okay. I know things have been hard on you lately." Sensing her mother was worried about her welfare, Luna tried to comfort her mother with a smile, reassuring her with her own words that she was okay.


    "I know that you say that, but don''t forget, I also have my own sources. Not as great as the empress but I know she has been trying to find trouble for you these last couple of weeks. That evil woman is starting to feel threatened by our presence. After dealing with Prince Cloud and Consort Cassandra, we are now her only threat left that could disrupt her son inheriting the throne."


    Narrowing her eyes, fist clenched tightly underneath the warm palm of her daughter''s hand, one could see that Lady Elaria did not like the empress and with valid reasons. Being born into such a family where sibling relationships were nonexistent, a place where only the strong could survive, Luna''s heart had shielded itself long ago.


    Seeing to just what reaches the Empress would go for her brat of a son, such as her involvement in Consort Cassandra''s death, she had learned how to conceal her feelings. The only person who loved her in this cold-blooded prison that people called a palace was her mother.


    "Don''t worry, Mother, I won''t allow anything to happen to me," Luna reassured her mother, unaware of her fate the story had written.

 35 Amber Mountain

    The day before the camping trip, Countess Rosendrey could be seen hastily pulling out every article of clothing in Maria''s dresser or closet and piling them on top of the mountain of clothes already in her suitcase.


    ''S-She''s overdoing it!'' Maria didn''t know how to put a stop to her mother''s madness; luckily Shirone tried to lend a hand by speaking reason to the countess.


    "My Lady, the ojou-sama will only be gone for a week. The number of clothes you''re packing exceeds that length. I urge you to please put some back."


    "No way! My darling Maria-chan will be away from her mommy for a whole week! I must make sure she has everything she''ll need and more. It''s better to be cautious than not to be!" the countess proudly stated, before engulfing her daughter in a tight bear-hug.


    "Mommy wants to make sure her little cub will be safe and have everything she needs. Plus, I can''t help but worry since Shirone and Kuroka won''t be tagging along with you. Ah, Mommy wishes she could tag along," tearfully sighed Countess Rosendrey.


    Maria felt the back of her head pressed against her mother''s bosom and a sweatdrop hung down from her head.


    Since the purpose of this trip was to help students become more independent, more knowledgeable of their surroundings, and help improve their control over their magic, the academy had banned students from bringing along their aides, meaning Maria couldn''t bring Shirone and Kuroka.


    Countess Rosendrey was overcome with distress when she became informed, and without restraint began overpacking Maria''s luggage.


    It took a long time before Countess Rosendrey could be reasoned with, and reluctantly, she removed all of the extra items she packed. The camping trip was the next day; the students were personally dropped off at a relaxing resort lodge located at the base of Amber Mountain. The location of Amber Mountain was miles outside the capital, close to the border of the south region.


    Stepping out of the carriage and after saying goodbye to Shirone and Kuroka, Maria spotted a lot of students scattered outside the premise of the resort. Most of them were laughing and chatting in groups when she heard a loud familiar voice called out to her.


    "Maria! You finally made it!" Appearing in her sight, Maria was happy to see Mai, a tired Julian trailing not that far behind her.


    Happy to be with friends, the three began talking about what to expect from the duration of this camping trip. Their conversation was only put to a pause when all of the homeroom teachers began to call for assembly. Once that was out of the way, a different teacher, who Maria never saw before, began speaking of the activity they''d be participating in today.


    "For today''s first activity, students, your first task is to go out and bring back more than three edible items. You have until lunchtime to deliver them to the station where your homeroom teacher will be awaiting you." After announcing these instructions, the students were handed out baskets before scattering throughout the base of the mountain.


    Maria, Mai, and Julian moved as a group and stumbled upon this broad field where a variety of berries were growing in the area. Walking closer, Maria spotted round blueberries, glistening raspberries, and bright red strawberries.


    Crouching down on the ground, Maria set down her basket, plucking the fruits, and dropping them into her basket. Maria didn''t want to fill her basket with only berries, so once she was satisfied with a certain amount, she picked up her basket and moved to a different location nearby.


    Walking farther up ahead, a mile away from the berry bushes, Maria saw a large tree, its leaves basking in the sunlight, and hanging from it were round orange fruits, the size of her palm. "Oranges!" Her emerald green eyes lit up with excitement. Rushing over to the tree, she plucked two to three oranges and added them to her basket.


    Sensing another presence join her, Maria looked to her left and saw Julian. "Look, Julian! Oranges!" Maria happily exclaimed. The smile on her face, somehow, caused the timid boy to blush and look away.


    ''Ah, my heart is acting weird again.'' Julian, for the life of him, could not understand why his heart always beat uncomfortably in his chest whenever he saw Maria''s lively sweet smile.


    ''Could I be coming down with something? Oh no! Don''t tell me I''m sick!'' Julian was still too young to understand the depth of his feelings. His mind was jumping to the first reasonable conclusion.


    Unaware of the thoughts going through her friend''s head, Maria was distracted when she heard Mai''s voice yell out from a distance. Following the sound of Mai''s voice, Maria was confused when she saw no one in the area when Julian tapped her shoulder and signaled her to look up. Pointing her gaze towards the sky, Maria saw an average height tree standing before her and having climbed onto one of its big thick branches was Mai.


    The blonde had her hand reached out towards a nest of eggs, collecting them and placing them inside her basket. Once finished, the girl jumped from branch to branch, before finally landing with her feet on the ground. Seeing Maria and Julian, the blonde proudly showed off her prize.


    The three friends spent some more time searching before turning in their baskets. After all the students turned in their baskets, lunchtime soon arrived. Tables were placed outside in a cool refreshing shaded area that was close to the sea¡ªserved for lunch were fruit-flavored ice beverages and fancy sandwiches. Maria had just taken a bite out of her sandwich when she felt two familiar presences join their table.


    "Ohiyo, Maria-chan~!" Akihito was the first to greet Maria, taking a seat in between Mai and Julian. The person who sat in the unoccupied chair next to her was Richard.


    "Hello, Ria!" smiled the Scarlet heir. Rose petals and bishie sparkles consumed the background behind him. Such a scene brought forth a sweatdrop that rained down the side of Maria''s face, thinking to herself,


    ''And to think he hasn''t even evolved yet.'' Maria imagined Richard as some unevolved Pok¨¦mon. Her expression grew frightened once she felt pairs of ominous gazes aimed directly at her; a cold shudder raced down her back.


    ''Even though I act nothing like the original Maria, how come I''m still a target!? I''m innocent, I''m telling you!'' Maria found this whole situation unfair and very cliche.


    ''I got a feeling that sometime this week, some of these girls are going to stir up trouble for me.'' Several different scenarios raced through Maria''s head. ''I guess one can not escape the path of a villainess. Troublesome,'' sighed Maria.


    After lunch, the PE instructor instructed them to do some simple exercises such as push-ups, jumping jacks, and laps. "For magic to flow soothingly through the body, once must have a strong and healthy body. The same rule applies for those who wish to perform higher tier spells," said Ms. Abby.


    Since today was the first day, nothing eventful took place. Night fell before Maria knew it. For the duration of the trip, students would be boarding at the lodge. The teachers had paired them off and showed them their rooms. At first, Maria was a little nervous about who she would be rooming with but was happy to find out Mai was her roommate.


    After unpacking her luggage, Maria laid on her bed and couldn''t resist smiling at the extra packages of sweets that were stored inside along with a message: To my dearest, Maria. Papa is so sad that he couldn''t send you off on your trip, but he hopes this makes up for it.


    ''He may be a little weird, but he does have a good heart,'' smiled Maria before briefly recalling the small item that rested in her pocket and hastily took it out. Feeling a little shy, Maria walked behind Mai and tapped her on the shoulder.


    Mai was still unpacking her luggage when Maria grabbed her attention. Pressing a pause on what she was doing, Mai turned around, and amber eyes rested on a small pink square box thrust out to her.


    "H-Here! A little something I made for you!" Able to sense her brown-haired friend''s nervousness, Mai gently took the package and opened the lid of the box.


    Upon opening it, amber eyes widened in shock at what she saw inside. "Wow, Maria! It''s beautiful!" Displayed inside the box was this cute gold charm bracelet made using a variety of topaz crystal gemstones.


    Hearing those words from Mai and knowing that the other meant them, a weight lifted off of Maria''s shoulder. The nervousness she felt before dissipated and a smile overcame her face. "I''m glad you like it! T-This was my first time hand-making a gift and giving it to a friend." Maria''s cheeks warmed from embarrassment, feeling bashful for admitting such truth.


    The idea first came to Maria months ago when she was staring at the necklace Mai had given her and realized she had never given the other girl a present. Soon after this thought entered her head, she took a trip to an arts and craft store that sold a variety of materials for crafting, including the tools and necessities one would need for crafting jewelry, and Maria brought a lot of items. Once home, Maria began doodling ideas of what piece of jewelry she should make for Mai.


    Maria came up with the idea for using citrine topaz gemstones due to how much the color suited Mai''s vibrant and confident nature. A girl whose aura glowed brighter than the sun; despite the tragedy of her past, she still possessed the willpower to move forward. Mai was the type of girl Maria envied yet also looked up to, the girl who deserves to be the heroine of her own story.


    Removing the bracelet from out of the box, Mai immediately slipped it onto her wrist and hugged Maria. "I love it, Maria! This is my first time ever receiving a present from a friend."


    Mai''s heart was warmed at the gesture from her friend and couldn''t help but feel a little teary-eyed. Quickly as the day had come, it had ended; all the students were in bed, anticipating what events were in store for them tomorrow.

 36 2nd Day-Cooking Lesson

    The next day, the students were harshly awakened from their peaceful dreams when a blaring alarm rang throughout the lodge. Maria was so startled that she got tangled in her blanket and clumsily fell out of her bed.


    The only person who was not startled was Mai, sleeping like a log and unaware of her friends'' turmoil. ''I envy you, Mai.'' Maria shot the blonde a half-hearted glare before walking up to bed where the blonde was sleeping and shouted.


    "Look, someone is about to take the last piece of meat!" Right on cue Mai''s eyes shot open, leaping from out of her bed.


    "Don''t you dare touch my meat!" growled Mai, fire burning from her eyes with the intent of defending her precious meat. Seeing this, Maria couldn''t help but sigh at her meat-loving best friend.


    ''She reminds me of a certain anime character. The only things Mai is missing are a straw hat and declaring her dream of wanting to be Pirate King.'' Maria recalled a popular anime series from her old world before walking over and snapping her fingers in front of Mai''s face.


    "H-Huh? Where''s the meat?" Blinking her large amber eyes, Mai finally realized her surroundings, which was their dorm room, her precious meat nowhere in sight.


    "Hopefully, there''s meat downstairs for breakfast, but if we''re last, I''m afraid there will be none left for you." It wasn''t until after Maria said this that she regretted her actions when Mai grabbed her by her shirt and dragged her out the door.


    "Then let''s go! We can''t let those snobs take all the meat!" Slamming open their door, Mai raced down the hall in a cloud of dust, dragging Maria, whose body was flying with the wind.


    "W-Wait! Mai, we still have to get changed!" cried Maria, only for her words to fall upon deaf ears. Nothing but a blur raced passed her vision; a thought entered the back of her head.


    ''...Maybe I should''ve used a different method.''


    Maria was not shocked by the scolding they received for entering downstairs in nothing but their pajamas. After going upstairs and changing into their PE clothes, the girls made their way back downstairs. The students were broken off into groups and found themselves standing inside a large spacious kitchen filled with cabinets, cooking utensils, stoves, and counter tables.


    Since there were only five stoves in the kitchen, the students broke down into even smaller groups. Each group had about five students, and in Maria''s group were her two best friends, but was shocked to see that Arthur Pendragon was also a member of their group. He wasn''t the only one assigned to their group; emerald eyes landed on the passive Princess Luna standing on her left side.


    Even though Princess Luna was a grade level above them, third-years and fourth-years blended into one group for the duration of this trip. "Alright, students, for today''s activity, using the ingredients that you picked yesterday, each group must band together and cook breakfast for you all to eat~!!" announced a cheerful woman with long curly hair, who Maria recognized as their enchantment teacher.


    "But Ms.Riddle I don''t know how to cook!" cried one girl, and others soon joined, stating the same things. Ms.Riddle smiled and explained the purpose of this activity.


    "When out on a mission, using their surroundings, one may need to feed themselves. Your aides will not be with you on your tasks, meaning you must fend for yourselves. Not every mission will offer you the luxury of inns or restaurants. Please note that whatever creation you cook up, must be eaten by you and your group. For those who fail or try to cheat, a penalty awaits you~!"


    Ms.Riddle''s tone of voice was jovial as always, but Maria couldn''t help but detect an ominous feeling when she announced that there would be a penalty.


    Ms.Riddle sat in a chair placed in the room, keeping an eye on the students to make sure they didn''t fail or cheat. Walking towards the counter in the vicinity of their station, Maria spotted five baskets; each had their name labeled on them.


    Maria knew the contents inside three of the baskets but was unsure when it came to Princess Luna''s and Arthur''s baskets. Walking towards the baskets, students began pulling out edible items inside. Standing on her left, Maria saw when the princess pulled out this cold silver box. The princess must have sensed her curiosity as she removed the lid of the box and revealed slabs of uncooked bacon.


    "Meat!" Mai excitedly exclaimed with stars twinkling in her eyes


    "I ran into a Red-Hawk Boar and butchered and cleaned the animal myself," said the princess.


    "Wow! I would''ve never guessed you did those tasks yourself." Maria had a hard time imagining the delicate and cute princess executing such a gory labor task.


    "Whenever I visit my uncle, he sometimes takes me hunting with him and teaches me how to hunt and butcher animals," said the princess, and upon noticing the awe shining in Maria''s eyes, there was a twitch in her usual monotone expression.


    "Princess, you''re amazing!" Maria complimented, missing how the tip of the princess''s ears turned red.


    "Arthur, what are in these two jars?" Mai pointed to the two glass jars, one filled golden yellow thick liquid and the other a dark brown.


    "W-While I was out, I ran into a maple tree and extracted its sap. I also extracted honey from honeycombs I spotted lying on the ground," Arthur answered bashfully.


    Once all their materials were laid out on the table, Maria began analyzing ideas. ''Okay, so we have fruits, honey and syrup, eggs, and meat. From the eggs, we can make an omelet, bacon from the meat, maybe fruit juice from the fruits. Hmm, but what about the honey and maple syrup? It would be nice if we had pancakes!''


    Looking over the items again, Maria spotted miniature round sponge cakes, hidden behind the honey and maple jars. "Where did those come from?" asked Maria.


    "I spotted a baby PanPan tree while I was gathering," said Princess Luna


    "What is a PanPan tree?" Maria had never heard of such a thing; Mai was the one to explain it to her.


    "A PanPan tree grows sponge-like cakes, which are super delicious but also rare since these usually grow where the fairy race resides."


    ''A tree that grows pancakes... Yep, leave it to fantasy logic.'' Not wanting to dwell on the thought of how it was possible for a tree to grow pancakes, Maria discussed with her group her ideas, and after agreeing, they got work.


    Mai volunteered herself when it came to cooking the meat, appointing herself as a meat expert. Arthur and Julian teamed up to make the fruit juice, leaving Maria and Luna to make the omelet. There was a sense of smoothness and unity that their group possessed that others didn''t.


    The others argued amongst themselves and created a mess, clueless on what to do with their materials. In another room, a certain crimson-haired heir seemed down about something. "Ri-chan, what''s wrong?" asked Akihito, stirring some type of mixture in a bowl.


    "Nothing, it''s just, I wanted to be teamed up with Ria." Richard didn''t know how to explain it, but being around Maria and spending time with her always left Richard in good spirits. He liked that she was true to herself when around him, finding her smile cute and her eyes beautiful. Such a pure and uplifting presence that could only belong to Maria had become his addiction.


    ''I can''t explain it, but my heart always beats faster whenever I''m around her, and I feel so happy whenever I see her smile. I wonder why I feel this way?'' Richard asked himself, still too young to process and understand his own feelings towards Maria.