After sparring for ten minutes, Grace was out of breath and shook her head while smiling wryly, "That was good, mother. If Arkhen could fight at high-skilled-level people like you, he would also enjoy a lot."
"Arkhen… is that friend of yours that you hang out with?" Lorail said as she raised her eyebrows.
Seeing her mother's expression, Grace rolled her eyes, "Come on, mom. Not you too. He is just a friend."
"Haha, I know. You are our smart girl," Lorail said as she rubbed Grace's head.
"Ahem, so there's another matter we wanted to tell you," Emperor Vanis coughed and said as he stood with his hands behind his back.
"I knew it, haha. Say, what is it?" Grace said with a chuckle.
"It's about your future," Lorail said with a slightly painful expression on her face. "You don't know, but when you were born, a mysterious phenomenon appeared along with a mark on your forehead."
"Eh?" Grace was surprised.
"It was a nightmare curse. We have received a blessing from Twilight Goddess, and in turn, someone born in this royal family would receive a nightmare curse on birth, every one or two generations."
"W-What? What is a nightmare curse?" Grace was confused.
"Yes. This nightmare curse will kill you when you turn twenty years old unless…."
"Unless?" Grace asked with an intense expression in her eyes. "Unless what?"
Lorail and Vanis both looked at one of the paintings in the hall. It was a painting of a beautiful woman with long dark blue hair.
Grace looked at the painting of her aunt. At first, she was confused, but she soon got shocked as she remembered the various facts surrounding her aunt, that disappeared twenty-five years ago.
"No… No way, right?!" Grace looked at her parents with wide eyes, who had just revealed a helpless expression.
…
Today marked the final day of their term, and student this was going out for their first practical exam.
Everyone had learned basic techniques and also created their own technique related to their gear weapon in the past year, so it was time to test them against the real deal.
Steam Nightmares!
These creatures, called Steam Nightmares, were the evil and trouble-filled part of the world. They lived in Nightmare Lands.
At first, this empire was also a part of Nightmare Lands, but the powerful people and ancestors of this empire conquered a part and turned it into a habitable place by fighting off Steam Nightmare creatures and getting a blessing from Twilight Goddess.
The group of 34 students gathered at the entrance of the academy with Instructor Klein and waited for the carriages.
Arkhen stood beside Grace and said in a low voice, "Grace, I want to talk with you."
"Me too," Grace said before releasing a small sign.
Arkhen was startled and asked, "is anything troubling you?"
"I'll tell you on the way," Grace said with a wry smile.
Maryl arrived beside Grace and said, "Is it necessary to tell him?"
The carriages also arrived, and Grace grabbed Arkhen's and Maryl's hands before entering the royal carriage that was only reserved for Grace and Maryl.
The other students, especially the boys, were internally jealous.
Balthor had turned indifferent. The previous killing intent was nowhere to be seen. The engagement his family brought up was canceled by them, and he also knew the reason.
'Heh, Arkhen. I know you are dreaming about Princess Grace, but unfortunately, it will only remain a dream,' Balthor sneered internally before entering a carriage with his group.
…
"So, what is it that's troubling you?" Arkhen asked curiously.
Grace sighed again before saying, "I'm afraid I won't be able to meet you after this test. I have to go someplace."
Maryl's lips trembled, and her eyes dropped a little as she revealed a sad expression.
"Why? There's still one more year of the academy, no?" Arkhen asked as he raised his eyebrows. 'Damn, what the hell happened? I was going to confess to her after the test.'
"I am going to Twilight Valley," Grace said as she grabbed Arkhen's hand. "This past year was very enjoyable for me. Thank you, Arkhen."
"But why are you going to Twilight Valley?" Arkhen asked with confusion. "I have heard of that place. A secluded family related to Twilight Goddess lives there, right?"
"Yes. I am engaged to a person from that family. He is the same age as us," Grace said as she sighed. "This is like a ritual of the sort. I found out that I am cursed since birth, so I have to marry him and stay there for five years."
"Sigh, I won't be able to see you and anyone from my family for five years."
"What?!" Arkhen was shocked. Not because of this news but of how casually Grace talked about marriage.
'What the fuck? Was I the only one developing love towards her for the past year? That's impossible! We enjoyed so much together, the bond we created… was it really just friendship to her?'
Grace was startled at Arkhen's shout and said with a wry smile, "I will be able to visit you after five years, so don't worry. But I will really miss everyone here. Five seems really long for me."
Maryl was sad because her sister would have to suffer from the curse that would activate once she turned twenty-four. If she didn't live in Twilight Valley, she would die once she turned twenty-five.
Twilight Valley was a blessed place. It was the only place to suppress the curse, but even so, Grace would feel pain, and her appearance would turn nightmarish for a whole year, evening to morning every day.
She also had to marry a young man in that family to live there.
"My parents also told me about this yesterday, so I was shocked. Anyway, that guy who I am going to marry, his name is Cyrus, and he is already at the nightmare land's border. We will meet him soon," Grace said with a wry smile. "I am honestly a bit nervous."
Arkhen suppressed the emotional upheaval inside him and smiled. "I also want to see him."
"Yeah. I must show him who's the boss, and you will help me with that."
[A/N: Dear Readers, Just wait for the last chap. It's going to be awesome.]
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