Chapter 36

After an hour of talking about nonsense things, Vernon, the butler, asked the two to return because the Duke was about to leave.

"We've returned!" Nash's booming voice resonated throughout the dining hall.

"How's your walk?" Ivelisse asked.

"We're just talking crap here. Oh! I have a question for you, Mother."

"What is it?"

"How come there are no fish in the pond?"

Ivelisse chuckled, "I'm not sure either, but there was before, but fish only live for a limited time, so maybe that's why your father didn't put any fish there anymore."

"So that's why... I asked because Owen wanted to know," she said, grinning.

"What!? You are the one who asked!" Nash laughed as he observed Owen's irritated expression. Nash had been taunting him in this manner for some time.

"I see... you two are growing close. Do you think I should come here more often, Roven?" Duke Eiler smiled.

"This could be the last time you come in here."

"Huh? You can't leave without me!"

"Why? Are you air?" Roven and Nash said in sync. Nash just thought about it but didn't expect her father to say it.

"The hell, father?" Nash chuckled, as well as Ivelisse, while Roven kept on a straight face looking at Duke Eiler.

"You kept on hurting my feelings," Duke Eiler pouted. Owen turned away from his father, disgusted.

Owen couldn't take it any longer and stood up. "Father, you're embarrassing; let's go home."

"What? How could you say that to your precious father, you brat?!"

"Tsk. We shall leave now, your majesties and highnesses," he said politely.

"Sure sure, take care. Don't hesitate to visit soon!" Ivelissse said.

"Bye bye!" Nash aggressively waved her hands as the door closed.

Serio, who was staying at the palace as a guest, was the only remaining guest.

"Father," Nash called.

"What?"

"It's about the coming of age," a month from now will be the coming of age

"Are you going to join?" Ivelisse asked, her eyes sparkling as she expected her daughter to come to the ceremony.

"No. It's about Katherine and the Duke."

"Duke Barcley, the fake one, asked me to hold the ceremony here, exactly as you said," Nash smirked.

"Of course. Your daughter is smart, you know?"

"Then what are you planning to do?"

Nash reclined back in her chair, her arms crossed, "Simple, while the fake duke welcomes the other guests, the real Katherine will enter, followed by the Duke."

"You should come to the ceremony as well," Ivelisse suggested, but Nash shrugged. "You are welcome to attend even if you are a squad knight."

"I know, but I don't want to. And also I want to say something important, father," her smile faded and turned to a serious one.

"What is it?"

"A war... will break out soon."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Let's say, me and Raum are friends?" Nash said, in an unsafe manner.

"And how come you know such things?" Roven asked, leaning back in his chair.

"I studied before. I told you I took lessons from Aunt while on Earth. I learned about almost everything that could happen in the near future. Not only that, but I read newspapers and observe other knights as well. And also, I experience almost interacting with the creatures."

'I mean, there's no use in hiding when everything is clearly going to happen shortly. I might regret not telling everything I know, right?'

The air in the hall becomes deafeningly quiet. Vernon, on the other hand, motioned for the maids to leave the hall, but he remained as Roven's secretary.

"I knew it," Daniel whispered.

Everyone in the dining hall faced him.

"I mean, Nash, indeed likes physical activities, but becoming a knight is a sudden decision."

Nash looked at his brother, grinning.

'See? Everything I do will only be noticed by them. These things I'm doing now are not something I've done in the past. Even if you say I'm still young, I used to act a little more mature.'

"We know," they commented.

Nash chuckled, "It's all done now, and you can't change the fact that I did become a squad knight. The reason I joined is to gather data about the creatures, why? Just because."

"So what are you saying again?" Vincenzo inquired.

"I said a war will break out soon," Nash repeated.

Roven furrowed his brows. "There were still no movements spotted in the forest of Asra."

"You shouldn't just focus there. I'm pretty sure there was one leader who controlled those creatures. Why do you think the creature was transported to Elisora, which is a significant distance away from Asra's forest?"

'My instincts are usually correct, you know?'

"What should we do, then?" Roven asked.

"Try to send knights from every village and town, especially the villages near the border of the empire. The most important area, for sure, is near the forest of Asra so make sure the most reliable knights are stationed there."

"The barrier supporting the forest may be meaningless now that creatures are being teleported," Nash remarked.

"Vernon, send a letter to Lawrence,"

"Yes, your majesty."

"You can start assigning knights next year by February. Creatures won't attack in cold weather as it will be a disadvantage for them. They prefer warmer weather over cold weather, therefore March through May could be a good time to start a war."

"How did you know all of this?" Daniel asked,

"As you can see, Raum and I are quite close now, which is why he requested me to train with him in the demon realm."

"The what!?" Celeste exclaimed.

Daniel whispered to her sister, "She said the demon realm."

"I know, I heard!" She rolled her eyes.

"You asked!"

"You trust Raum that much?" Roven asked. Nash nodded as an answer. "How long?"

"Raum said time is different which will be an advantage for me. I planned on staying there for 3 months?"

"That long!?" Ivelisse said.

"Don't worry, it will be just about 3 weeks here or maybe a month. That is why I want father's permission to let me train there."

"Why do you have to train?" Ivelisse asked.

"Isn't my existence the reason for the creatures to start a war?" Nash blurted out.

"Nash!" Her siblings exclaimed.

"I don't blame you on that, don't worry." She faced his father with a smile.

"All right," Roven immediately answered.

Nash froze as she didn't expect her father to say yes at first try. She had already planned many lines to say only to please her father, but Roven had already answered yes.

"In order to do so, I need to borrow books about demons from you."

"Come to my office later, I'll give it to you," Nash nodded. "Go back to your room, you must be tired from earlier."

Despite the fact that she is not, she simply followed her father. Serio nodded when she looked at him.

Nash went to her room to change into a more comfortable and clean outfit after sitting and lying on the grass earlier.

She lay down in her bed and stared at the ceiling for a few moments before falling asleep.

Nash awoke as she sensed someone approaching her.

"Oh? I apologize if I wake you up," Bea said.

"No, I rested for too long," she said as she saw it's already dark outside. "What are you doing here?"

"The healer, Serio, asked me to give this to you," Nash reached for the small container and a letter. She read the letter first.

//

Nash,

I had noticed how you move differently from before and as if your body hurts. At first, I assumed it was due to your vigorous exercise, but your legs should be hurting as well, but they don't appear to be. I see you had difficulty moving your upper body, and my questions were resolved after you requested a healing ointment.

Please know that I did not inform your father of this. If the pain persists, come to me and I'll heal you personally; I'm a healer within your reach, princess.

Serio,

//

'So he noticed? That's how great of a healer he is... I see.'

"Miss Bea, please assist me in applying ointment to my body. Lock the door first; it will be difficult if they see my bruises."

Bea followed. She removes the bandage that has been wrapped around her body and applies the ointment before re-wrapping her in the bandage.

"It's a good thing it's unscented," Nash commented.

"That is why I made the ointment a little thicker so you would heal quickly."

Nash smiled, "Thank you, Miss Bea."

"Please just call me Bea"

"Okay,"

Nash is wearing a necklace given to her by her aunt Terry. The reason she can't use it is that if she wishes for her bruises to heal, all of the fragmented bits of the gemstone would activate, which would be a waste because the fragments of gemstones are small and could lose their power if used.

She had already planned where she would use all of the power contained within the gemstone, therefore she did her hardest not to use it.