CHAPTER 11: TURNING POINT

Time passed, Ignacia was 17 years old. She was in the last year at The Fidelitas Academy.

Ignacia went to the garden after she finished the lunch as usual. She heard a conversation from a group of girls on the way.

"Have you heard about the rumor? The Crown Prince and Lady Margaret," a girl said.

"Yes, I saw they courted for a year," another girl said.

"What about Princess Estella?" The other girl asked.

"The Princess might feel hurt. The Crown Prince kept distance from her," another girl said.

Ignacia was thinking of Estella. She did not know why she cares so much about her, even though she hardly talked to her up until now.

After she reached to the garden, she saw The Crown Prince snogging a lady, who has long pink hair, green eyes, and pretty face, under the shade of tree. She assumed that she was Lady Margaret.

She turned back to avoid them and saw Estella looking at them, hiding out of their sights behind another tree.

Estella slowly walked away from there. She cried bitter tears after she saw their relationship with her own eyes.

Ignacia was worried about her after she saw her tears. She silently followed her and found her crying, sitting on a park bench far away from people's eyes.

She sat beside her and handed a handkerchief to her.

Estella glanced at her, then turned away.

"Please use it to dry your tears, Your Highness" said Ignacia gently.

Estella took her handkerchief, then dried her eyes.

"I'm on your side, Your Highness" said Ignacia gently. She got up and left. She knew that Estella wanted to take her time crying alone.

A few days later,

Estella came to meet Ignacia near the field. She waited for her to be alone after she finished the swordsmanship class, then walked toward her.

"Thank you for lending me your handkerchief. I already washed it," said Estella shyly. She handed a handkerchief to her.

"I thought you threw it away, Your Highness" said Ignacia smilingly, she teased her a bit.

"I'm not that rude," said Estella softly.

"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Ignacia asked.

"I'm…all right. You can call me Estella," Estella said. She tried to conceal her sadness.

"If so, please call me Ignacia, Estella" said Ignacia, smilingly.

Estella felt strange in her heart. It was first time she thought that Ignacia was cool and charming.

"I will take my leave, Ignacia" said Estella shyly.

A few days passed,

Ignacia went to the garden after she finished the lunch as usual. She saw Veronica and her friends talking with Margaret.

"Don't you feel ashamed of yourself, Lady Margaret?" said Veronica angrily.

"There must be some misunderstanding, Lady Veronica" said Margaret anxiously.

"Did you say misunderstanding? What kind of Lady is courting with other people's fiancé?" A girl asked.

"Don't you know The Crown Prince have fiancée, Lady Margaret?" another girl asked.

Vulcan, The Crown Prince, ran toward Margaret, then asked, "What are you doing?" He was angry with Veronica and her friends. He embraced and protected Margaret.

Margaret was crying in his arms.

"Your Highness, The Crown Prince" Veronica and her friends said and curtsied to him.

"We are having a small talk with Lady Margaret, Your Highness," Veronica said.

"What kind of small talk? Why did she cry like this?" Vulcan asked, angrily.

"There is nothing, Your Highness" said Margaret, she was still crying.

"Don't worry, Margaret" said Vulcan kindly. He hugged and soothed her.

"What did you do to her? Explain yourselves," said Vulcan, he looked at Veronica and her friends angrily.

"We reminded her about Your Highness's fiancée," said Veronica anxiously.

Her 2 friends said nothing but looked at each other anxiously.

"Did Estella tell you to do this?" Vulcan asked angrily.

"No, Your Highness," said Veronica anxiously. Her face went pale.

"Why did you concern about my relationship, then?" Vulcan asked angrily.

Veronica and her friends said nothing, bending their heads.

Vulcan held Margaret's hand and took her out of that area.

Ignacia saw and heard everything. She thought that the situation of Estella worsened because of Veronica and her friends.

★★★

A month passed,

Felix and Isabella came to the capital after Felix was called by The Emperor.

Felix was having a private audience with The Emperor.

"I heard your daughter will graduate from The Fidelitas Academy soon, Duke Virtusarium" Emperor Santino said.

"Yes, Your Majesty" said Felix politely.

"I want your daughter to be a vice commander of Black Knight Forces," Emperor Santino said.

"With all due respect, she might be too young for this position, Your Majesty" said Felix politely.

"Isn't it your daughter in rare type? I heard many things about her prodigy," Emperor Santino asked.

"Yes, she is, Your Majesty" said Felix politely.

"Commander Marcus will retire in the next 2 years. That's why I'm looking for a suitable person to be the next commander after he retired," Emperor Santino said.

"It's an honor of our family to serve Mirarus Empire, Your Majesty" said Felix politely.

"Great! I will appoint her after she graduated," Emperor Santino said.

"Yes, Your Majesty" said Felix politely.

In the evening, Felix, Isabella, and Ignacia were having dinner together.

"What is your plan after you graduated, Igna?" Felix asked.

"I think I will help you, Father" Ignacia said.

"Oh, I'm very proud of you, Igna" said Felix happily, "Well, the thing is, The Emperor want you to be a vice commander of Black Knight Forces. What do you think?"

"If it was an order from The Emperor, I can do it, Father" Ignacia said.

"Are you really all right with it, Igna? I heard the Black Knight Forces have to fight with monsters and go to war if the war broke out," Isabella asked, worriedly

"I'm all right, Mother" Ignacia said.

"I think it's good for her to prove herself as the next lord of Oriens, Honey" said Felix gently.

"I see," Isabella said with a worried expression on her face.

"I'm very strong. I will be all right, Mother" said Ignacia reassuringly.

"I'm still worried about you, Igna" said Isabella gently.

"I know. I love you, Mother. That's why I don't want our family to be in trouble," Ignacia said.

"What about me, Igna?" Felix asked. His eyes twinkled, waiting for the answer as if he was a child who wanted to get something from their parents.

"I love you too, Father" Ignacia said, smilingly.

Felix was very happy after he heard her words. Isabella looked at him amusingly.

A few days passed,

Ignacia were having conversation with Victoria and Maximus in the magic class.

"I heard you will become a vice commander of Black Knight Forces, Igna" Victoria said.

"Yes, my father told me the other day," Ignacia said.

"That's good, we can see each other after we graduated," said Victoria delightedly.

"You're amazing, Ignacia. It's hard to become a vice commander of Black Knight Forces at our age," Maximus said.

"Is that so?" Ignacia said.

"Yes, I think you are the first person in the history of Mirarus Empire. You know, even you are a noble, you have to start with the position of captain of any squad in Black Knight Forces first. It was not like the royal knights," Maximus said.

"I see," Ignacia said.

"What about you, Max? Do you have any plan after you graduated?" Victoria asked.

"I was considering between Royal Knight Army and The Mage in Magic Tower, Your Highness" Maximus said.

"It would be good if you ended up as a royal knight," Victoria said.

"What do you think, Ignacia? Do you want me to be a royal knight?" Maximus asked.

"Just do what you want, Maximus" Ignacia said.

"You're cold, Ignacia" Maximus said, disappointedly.

★★★

Time passed to the day of graduation ceremony, the academy threw a party to congratulate all the students who graduated in this year at the night.

Ignacia got a lot of presents and bouquets of flowers from many boys and girls during the day. Even though she was wearing white, smart suit to attend the party, she was still popular among the boys.

After she went inside the banqueting hall, she heard many girls talking about her.

"She looks so handsome in her suit," a girl said, admiringly.

"I like her," another girl said, nicely.

"I want to marry her," the other girl said, dreamily.

"I want to dance with her once," a girl said, hopefully.

While Ignacia looked around the banquet hall to see her friends, she saw Estella coming inside the banqueting hall.

"The Princess came alone," a girl whispered.

"Where is The Crown Prince?" another girl whispered.

"Look!" the other girl said.

Vulcan walked, escorting Lady Margaret inside the banqueting hall.

Ignacia saw Estella looking at them.

Estella has a sad expression on her face momentary. She concealed her sad feelings quickly because there were many eyes looking at her.

The orchestra started to play the first piece of music.

Vulcan led Margaret to the dance floor. They were dancing happily without being care for anyone.

Maximus walked toward Ignacia and asked, "May I have this dance, Ignacia?"

"Yes," Ignacia said. She did not refuse him because it was the last day in the academy.

Maximus escorted Ignacia to the dance floor.

"I thought you would refuse me, Ignacia" said Maximus happily.

"I do it as a courtesy," said Ignacia calmly.

"I will do everything to win your heart," said Maximus gently.

"You will waste your time," said Ignacia calmly.

"We will see," said Maximus gently.

Ignacia said nothing and danced with him until a piece of music ended.

Julius walked toward Ignacia and asked, "May I have this dance, Ignacia?"

"Yes," Ignacia said.

Julius and Ignacia were dancing.

"I'm happy you didn't refuse me," said Julius happily.

"I do it as a courtesy," said Ignacia calmly.

"It's all right. I'm happy anyway," said Julius happily.

"What will you do after graduated, Julius?" Ignacia asked.

"I want to work as a mercenary but my father wants me to apply in Austellus Knight Army. He is one of vassals of The Lord of Austellus," Julius said.

"It's hard to believe that you behave well with your father," Ignacia said.

Julius shook his head and said, "I just do as he wants for 1-2 years."

"Aha, it's sound like you," Ignacia said.

"I heard you will be appointed as a vice commander of Black Knight Forces. I hope we can fight together in the future," said Julius cheerfully.

"Why don't you apply to be a black knight then?" Ignacia asked.

"I prefer freedom to honor. Moreover, I want to make my dream come true," Julius said with his free spirit.

"I see," Ignacia said.

We danced until a piece of music ended, then walked to group with Victoria and Olivia.

"I could not believe my eyes seeing you dance, wearing suit, Igna" Victoria said, amusingly.

"I don't want to but they will not stop asking me, Your Highness" Ignacia said.

"You don't have to say it out loud, Ignacia" said Julius sadly.

"Wasn't you familiar with it, Julius?" said Olivia joyfully.

"Arg..you again," said Julius annoyingly.

Ignacia did not see Estella in the banqueting hall. She was worried about her.

"Excuse me, I will be right back," Ignacia said.

She went out of the banqueting hall and looked for Estella. She found her sitting on the park bench near the fountain.

"What are you doing here, Estella?" Ignacia asked her kindly.

"I'm tired from standing a long time," Estella told her a lie. She has a sad expression on her face.

"Can I sit beside you?" Ignacia asked.

"Of course," Estella said.

"Do you like flowers? I saw you often go to the garden," Ignacia asked her nicely. She wanted to change her mood.

"Yes, I like it especially the time when the flowers bloom," said Estella delightedly.

"You know, women and flowers were the same. They are beautiful when they are in full bloom. I think they are very attractive," said Ignacia gently. She meant about her but she could not say it directly.

"Hmm…I could not believe my ears when you said something like this, Ignacia" said Estella, smilingly.

"Well, it made you smile as least," said Ignacia nicely. She was happy seeing her smile.

The garden was silent. The music was the only sound to break the silent.

"Would you like to dance?" Ignacia asked and smiled at her gently.

"How?" Estella asked, curiously.

"I remember the steps of dance for man and woman. I will lead you," said Ignacia nicely. She got up and held out her hand to escort her.

"All right," Estella said. She held her hand and got up.

Ignacia led her to the area where we can dance.

We were dancing on the grassy land under the moon light which was shining brightly from the sky.

"You're great at dance, Ignacia" said Estella, smilingly.

"Don't you know I'm great at many things?" said Ignacia attractively.

"I heard it so often. You're popular in many ways," said Estella, smilingly.

Ignacia likes her smile, it made her fall for her more and more. She looked at her, concealing her feelings for her.

"Do you like this piece of music? You're great at dance as well, Estella" Ignacia asked her nicely.

"Yes, I like it" said Estella delightedly.

"I wish you can find happiness and peace of mind like this moment in the future, Estella" said Ignacia gently.

"Thank you," said Estella gratefully. She felt strange in her mind, her heart was beating fast somehow.

★★★