004: I Don't Have Such A Thing

She glanced at Drake, who remained standing waiting for them since their place was opposite where the dormitories were.

Ridge and Nixon understood the glance she made and could only sigh.

"Then come and visit us instead, or we can visit you as well," Ridge nudged his glasses up and said.

"You don't want to visit me. You want to check their experiments here. Especially on poisons," Saphira laughed.

"I'm going ahead if you still want to chit-chat there," Drake called out.

He didn't wait for anyone to answer back before he started walking away.

"Go on and follow him," Stormie shook her head and said to Willow.

"I'll see you tomorrow... I guess?" Willow said to Saphira.

"Of course, good night," Saphira waved her goodbye.

"I'll walk you back," Hunter suggested after the two disappeared from their sights.

"Uhmmm Saphira," Nixon called.

When she looked at the three of them. They all have serious looks, gone were the playful ones a while ago.

Saphira shook her head and looked them straight in the eyes.

"No matter how you interact, that is your decision. Who to hate and who to like, no one should dictate that. You can listen to stories, to purposes, to reasons but in the end, it will be your decision. Don't put it in your heart or mind about what others want you to decide."

"We…"

Stormie wanted to say something but she didn't know where to start.

Her white eyes looked at the path Willow and Drake took before looking back at Saphira.

Saphira in turn, smiled and patted her shoulder, "You are probably tired already. You should go back and rest. We can have a chat on another day, I am glad to see all of you doing fine. And when I say all, I mean all."

The three smiled and bid her goodbye.

"Is this where I should say you have such a big heart?" Hunter commented as the two of them walked on the other side.

"I don't have such a thing," she replied with a shake of her head.

The two of them walked back in silence.

*****

Hunter went the next day to the Palace to start the talk regarding Saphira, he had already sent a message to Qillian Empire.

By speaking of his identity, he was allowed to have an audience with the Emperor even though he had no prior notice.

"Thank you for allowing me to speak with you Your Majesty," he bowed down once they were in the hall.

"No, it is indeed a shock that you would come in person without prior notice but I think a reason is there for this to happen," the Emperor replied.

After this talk, they can only wait for the letter from the Emperor of Qillian Empire to affirm what Hunter had just told them.

Of the mistake that occurred and the things that followed, Hunter deeply apologizes for it.

And when he did inform the Emperor of Saphira's identity. The emperor didn't expect that the so-called orphan was such a person. He could only shake his head at the thought of how she had been living for the past 8 years.

"You seem to know her, Your Majesty," Hunter asked seeing how the Emperor of Scorpius Empire seemed to recognize Saphira.

Without him explaining anything about Saphira's appearance, the emperor did not ask anything either.

"Not entirely but there is someone who became interested in her that they talked about her multiple times," the Emperor didn't hide this information.

"I just want to inform you Your Majesty that Saphira is already-"

Seeing how serious Hunter looks the Emperor laughed, "No, no, no, you misunderstood me. He became interested in her regarding her capability."

"But she was the lowest in the academy," Hunter respectfully said what Saphira had told them the night before.

"Hoho, it was a miss on her side and the academy has a one-time enrollment policy, that she was unable to redeem herself. But that person knew of her real capabilities. Allowing her not to exert more effort in joining the practical exams in the academy. Especially since it will just be child's play for her if she did join," the Emperor informed him.

Though curious, Hunter couldn't just ask the identity of this person because they were the ones apologizing for sending one of them to the wrong place.

He also did not say anything about how Saphira was treated because of this decision of his, simply because she did not care about it at all.

And if she they did go overboard, would they be able to bully her?

The answer is no.

"Once the letter from your Empire arrives, you might meet him then."

He could see that Hunter was curious.

"I am grateful Your Majesty," Hunter respectfully answered.

He then excused himself and left.

"The present Emperor of Qillian Empire sure is strict."

A man older than the Emperor stepped out from the side.

"To send these kids to different kingdoms to train. And those kids were tasked not to reveal their identities... that one that left just now is actually..."

The Emperor nodded his head, "And, since you heard it, what do you think?"

"Well, I guess I will lose a good companion then, that's too sad," he shrugged but disappointment was still visible in his eyes.

The Emperor laughed at this sight, it was after all a very rare sight to see such disappointment in this person's eyes because he was always bored.

For him to look disappointed means that he had found something he could enjoy.

"You can talk to that young lady then if she has time. She could come and visit you anytime," the Emperor suggested.

"Hmmph, I'll think about it," he acted as if he wouldn't be doing it but the Emperor could tell that he would.

He laughed at this before sighing.

"What are you sighing there now?" the older man asked.

"This means one thing right? If she is the person that young man had said she is, it only means one thing for them to gather," the Emperor said.

The older man turned serious, "Yes, that means one thing…"

Both of them looked outside the window with a sigh.

*****

"Is this their academy? It's quite pretty isn't it?" Stormie commented as the five of them stood outside the academy gates.

It has a castle-styled main building with its towers from the corners.

Upon entry to the main gate a plaza will welcome you and surrounding the plaza are small stalls and a bit of shops such as bakery, restaurant, stationery shops, and many others.

A mall was just outside the academy premises and clothing shops weren't included in what was within the plaza. A fountain was also erected at the center of this plaza.

The other buildings were behind the main building and their magnificence wasn't lacking in the main building.

"They did a lot for this academy I must say," Stormie added as they looked around.

Somehow, Hunter got a gate pass or something that allowed them to enter even though they weren't from the kingdom.

"As compared to the other academies in the kingdoms under Qillian Empire, this place has a lot more grandeur," Willow commented.

"The main academy in Qillian Empire is much better than this," Nixon commented.

"We are not talking about the Imperial City of Leonis, we are talking about the other kingdoms under Qilian Empire. The other places we were sent to," Stormie rolled her eyes at his comment.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Nixon answered with a pout.

"Okay, okay, that's enough you two. We came here to look around while waiting for the letter from the Emperor. Why don't we just enjoy it instead of the two of you fighting over everything?" Willow calmed them down.

She was smiling but it was obvious that she was a bit down.

"He chose not to come. It is not like we will be staying with Saphira for him not to come. But if you really can't enjoy yourself either, you can return. No one will stop you," Stormie said seeing her look.

Willow shakes her head and smiles, "I came because I do want to see the place."

"If you say so," Stormie shrugged.

"Though we are getting quite some attention because we are just visitors," Ridge nudged his glasses as he said this.

Some students are looking toward their side as they walk around.

They weren't wearing uniforms, so it was pretty obvious that they weren't a part of the academy.

And for them to be able to come in even though they weren't students means that they are someone from a noble family.

"They will think that we are part of a noble's family, though they wouldn't know just what kind of nobles," Willow replied glancing at Hunter.

"Why?" he asked seeing her glance at him.

"Nothing, just glancing," she replied before she returned her look to the places.

"Where do you think would she be?" Stormie asked after they got tired of looking around.

"Then stop blocking our path!!"

Their attention was then taken by some voices on one side of the hallway they were in.

They are now within the main building of the academy.

"Leave them be," one voice they are very familiar with followed this agitated shout.

"Know your place when all you have is that pretty face."

The man pushed her and walked past her and her companion together with some of his minions, who didn't hide the fact that they were kneeing her shoulder or arm.

"Why are you letting them do that to you Saphira?"