A Black Dagger

"Wow, so you two are wizards?" Said Feny who spontaneously opened a small curtain in the corner of the deck.

"Waa$@#?!--" Aria panicked because she was still changing her clothes, so she hurriedly covered her body.

But because the child in front of her seemed to feel that there was nothing wrong, she chose to pull Feny went in and closed the curtain again. "Yeah, well, he seems to be an educated one, but I just like to put on a little show sometimes." She said later.

"But he told you to enter the magic academy, right? Doesn't that mean your ability is not bad either?"

"...You heard that?" Asked back Aria who had finally finished changing her clothes.

Even though Aria's shabby clothes weren't really crumpled. It's just that the clothes Aria was wearing earlier were the same clothes she wore last night when they were chasing the cats.

So not only was it dirty and torn, her clothes were also stained with several blood spots. And yes, the stitches on her shoes are also a mess. But fortunately on this ship there are some clothes that they usually sell here and there.

"Do you know much about the magic academy? Can you tell me more?" Asked Aria then.

"Hm, if you give me something I'll tell you." The girl replied with a big smile. She should have known that Aria didn't look like she had any money, but somehow she still seemed to be expecting a lot.

But it turned out that there was no need to think about it anymore, because the girl's gaze was already focused on the clip in Aria's hair. Even Aria laughed softly because she felt that girl was funny.

"You want this?" She asked while removing her moon hair clip.

And the girl immediately took it. "Aye!" She exclaimed, who immediately tried to put it in her hair. But because her hair type was a fluffy type of hair, the pretty hair clip looked like it was hanging on her head weirdly.

"Here, let me also do your hair all over." Aria said as she pulled Feny to sit on one of the piles of boxes.

Aria remembered getting the hair clip from a poor rancher once she went to a neighboring town. At that time, Aria helped heal some of his sick goats. But because he couldn't pay much, in the end he only gave one sack of flour and some hair clips. Aria remembered it because Leyna and Mika had scolded her because she should have asked for more.

Aria gave the rest to her siblings but she quite liked the moon one. Although the moment Feny said that she wanted it, Aria didn't think twice about giving it to her right away. The problem was not only because she reminded her of Lily and Mina, Aria also didn't want to refuse the request of a child who had lost an arm like that.

That's why when she sees Feny can still be cheerful like that, actually from earlier Aria already wanted to cry as she was so touched.

"What do you think?" Aria asked after finishing Feny's hair.

But instead of answering, Feny was busy widening her mouth while touching her hair, which was tied in perfect braids and decorated with the moon hair clip. "Wow, I look just like the arrogant noble girl I saw in town back then!" She exclaimed.

Unsure of that comment, Aria felt the need to ask it again. "Do you like it?"

"Definitely yes!"

"It's good, then." Aria said, relieved. "Then how about you tell me about the magic academy now?"

"Well, I don't know much about the academy. But I'm sure I did watch the exam." She said. "I really thought it was a festival because everyone in town was so excited. But dad said it was actually the main exam that the academy was holding or something." She continued.

Aria had heard the gossip herself. But from Feny's story, it seems that the event was more lively than she had imagined.

Later that year, the theme was racing. Feny said that they were told to go around the world, but Aria thought that maybe the meaning was to go around the kingdom while passing through specific designated areas. Well, her story was messy, but she at least got the point.

But one thing that was worrying was when she started telling about how some people had turned to stone because they drowned in a pond. "My dad also made a bet for the tall guy, but it's a shame he also turned to stone. We lost 2 gold coins at that time!"

Aria was still processing that extremely sad and frightening information. But when she was about to ask more, Rei appeared to enter the small room. "Hey, if you're done, come upstairs." Called him who immediately turned around again.

Aria spontaneously sighed softly as if being pulled back to reality. But Feny who saw it immediately pointed to a box. "By the way the poison vial is over there. The price is not expensive really--"

"Sure, sure." Interrupted Aria hastily. "How about you show your father your new hair too." She said then.

Feny strangely even looked a bit embarrassed when she was going up to the deck until she hid behind Aria's back. But it turned out the father immediately shouted. "Wow Feny! Your hair!" He said. "You looked like a chatty noble girl from back then." He added happily.

"Oh? I know, right?" Replied Feny who finally jumped out just happily again. "Aria tidied it up for me." She added as she started circling, showing off as if her clothes were also new--which is not.

Aria, who was happy, laughed along with them. But Rei, who was not interested, chose to directly call Aria. "Come here." He said.

And as soon as she approached, her eyes immediately fell on the contents of the box that was already opened in front of Rei. A black dagger was seen there. "...What is that?"

"It's called Ved Dagger. If you stab this into someone, you'll be able to steal their magic." Rei explained, but Aria was just silent as if she didn't want to digest the explanation.

"...Mm, or maybe slash will do--Ugh, stop complaining! He only has this dagger, so just hold onto it for a while until we can get you another artifact." Added Rei with an annoyed look.

Aria was still looking at the dagger doubtfully. But the more she paid attention, Aria felt like there was a strange sound coming from the dagger. "I-I feel like I heard it whispering." She said.

"Just your feelings." Rei replied coldly.

"So how is it?" Said the old man who finally approached too. "You're gonna buy it, right?"

"I'll give you 2 gold coins." Offer Rei directly.

"Young man, are you kidding me?" Replied the old man. "This dagger is a special legacy of the Jarias kingdom. It costs at least 30 gold coins!"

"You mean a cursed legacy, right? 5 gold coins." Rei replied curtly. "Besides, no one wants to buy it except me, right? Even the box is already dusty like this."

"W-Wait!" Cut Aria quickly. "What do you mean 'cursed'?"

Pursing his lips bitterly, Rei wore an expression like someone who had let slip something he shouldn't. "...Nothing. Just a nickname--"

"They call it cursed because…" Feny finally talked too. "It was the dagger that killed all the members of the Jarias royal family. Right, dad?" She said.

Even though the old man just became awkward hearing that. "Oi, why did you tell them that? What if they don't want it anymore?" He grumbled.

"Why? He already knows it anyway, right?" She replied.

But while the father and daughter were arguing like that, Aria was also still looking at Rei with a protesting and demanding eyes. So in response, Rei also raised his face again. "So what? Daggers that have killed people are not uncommon, right? If something like that is said to be cursed, then my sword is already worse."

Slightly frowning, Aria fell silent. She glanced at Rei's waist, but the sword that usually hung there was not seen. "But still…"

Not continuing, Aria's voice suddenly cut off and her gaze landed on something on Rei's back.

"...What?" Confused, Rei also followed Aria's gaze and turned around. And far off the horizon, he saw a ship there, with a black flag that made people nervous.