CHAPTER 8, THE CAUSE

I was trying to dodge the introduction about myself but no going around it now. Tomorrow I'll be presented as the heir to the throne. I need to pull myself together.

While I was walking ariund I ran into Selene and Sirius who were walking around. The three of us sat down under a tree and talked. "I haven't gotten around to asking this, Haru... you have a different aura from others." Selene said.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"Most people have an air around them, this air lets us determine what kind of person someone is. Kind people often have a pure and clean air around them." Sirius said. "Ill-willed people tend to have a miasma like air around, yours however... it is unstable."

"Unstable?" I tilted my head.

"It's like you're wavering... you are lost... you don't know who you are." Selene said as touched the tree behind us. "There's an unstable air... are you alright?"

"I'm... fine. It's nothing... please don't worry about it." I answered her and stood up. "It's... just a personal issue."

"Okay then." The two said and I went on my way.

While passing through the empty corridors, I felt it... here comes the memories I don't want to deal with. What is it this time...? ...!! These are... these memories they're about the rest of the Tsuki Family. Cousins and such... and... an image... a garden? no... a passage way... with a boy... who is that?

"Haru? What are you doing?!" Camellia asked as she saw me clutching my chest. "We need to get you to the healers!!"

"I'm fine... it's nothing to worry about." I said and took a deep breathe and calmed myself down. "Anyways, why are you here?"

"Are you sure you're fine?" She asked and I smiled and nodded my head.

"It's nothing to worry about." I told her and stood back up. "I need to get something so I'll be going ahead."

"Oh... okay." She answered and I speed walked to my room where I looked around for my medicine.

These headaches are strong... what wprries me is that boy... who was he? He... he seemed rather familiar.

That night, as we all ate dinner together, I guess everyone was enjoying things but Hoshi-san said that he was really worried about the wyvern attacks. He said that they have yet to determine why the wyverns are attacking the island more each year and is extremely concerned about it. I would be too, a dragon was drawn here too after all. Besides the magical energy they don't know what the cause is. I wanted to ask Yuri if she knew something bit she's out like a light.

The next day, when the festival had just begun, we all enjoyed the festivities jn different ways. I walked around with the fiancees and Tetsuya. I might have gone overboard with buying presents though... well, nothing I can do about it now. "Nii-chan, what is that?" Tetsuya asked pointing to the gem I have in my hands.

"What is this, Haru-san?" Asami-chan asked.

"It seems to be jewelry of sorts... ~no ja." Ella said. "But... I've never seen this kind of gem before."

"It is very special... it is made from crystals that are formed from magical power." The shop owner said. "There are more."

"These would take years to grow..." Yue said. "Yet you're selling them rather cheaply aren't you?"

"Well, keep this between you and me... the magical energy in the Isles is growing too much... so we crafters are taking this chance to produce magical gems." He said and I decided to buy one... not for me or the girls but to be studied.

After that I went to join the four nobles for the presentation ceremony. They made me dress in a flamboyant outfit... I was apparently about to appear before a large audience so looks are a must.

AsI was introduced I came out from behind the curtain and the people all cheered happily. While I was accepted rather nicely some nobles apparently disliked me. Or so Tsubaki-san said as I left the stage. "Why would they?" I asked.

"The moment you're crowned as the next king, they'll have no power left." Ginga-san said and i tilted my head. "Nobles gain profit by numerous ways, one of those is by shady dealings... theree are rumours circulating that a noble with high rank is illegally doing business."

"What would that business be?" I asked.

"They're using this chance to grow magical crystals and sell them without the consent of the Higher Nobles." Tsubaki-san said and it clicked to me.

"I see, Tsubaki-san, ask for a shop yhat seels magical stones like this." I told him and showed him the magical crystal. "I want you to apprehend whoever is selling these crystals without the Nobles' consent."

"Understood." He said and disappeared into the crowd.

They must be behind the magical power build up that we have found. If we catch them, we catch the source of our problems.

A few minutes later Tsubaki-san cane back with a man in his mid fifties witha plump build. In the room where I, along with the four nobles and Tsubaki-san we interrogated him. He wouldn't talk so I had no choice. I used Pavo's power and used hypnosis on him and it seems that there is indeed a noble behind this. I ordered him to meet with his supplier and I had Muska follow him.

While we all sat down, the members seemed to be having a happy time at least so I'm happy. After a while he came into contact with the man... he seemed to be wearing a mask and a cloak covering himself. I left Muska to follow the man while I had the man we had caught return with the goods.

The man walked down hidden passages to a room, a giant magical crystal was floating. It's so large what's more, magical power was floating around it abd it seems that this is the source. It must be what's bringing the wyverns here, what we saw next was horrible... inisde the magical crystal... was a person!