Chronicles of the Red Sovereign

The way to Aunt Zaira's study was very awkward. The silence was also deafening that I just started humming a tune that came to my mind. From what I remembered, the tune was one of the nursery rhyme songs my sister taught me when I was just a small fox. Only the two of us knew about those and she would usually sing it to me whenever we were together.

One of the songs was about the stars, and it had a very catchy tune. I used to ask her if she was the one that made the song but she would deny it and say that she just heard it as well. Later on, I asked other people if they knew about it but they all replied a negative. Even earth deities that usually stayed in the mortal realm also didn't know anything about it. Since asking around was unproductive, I just stopped.

There was another one about rain and I usually sing it whenever there 'is' a rain.

I was humming the one about stars.

"Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are?

Up above the world so high

Like a diamond in the sky."

There were only four lines so I would just sing it repeatedly.

I stopped humming when I reached the study. Zach never said anything so I bumped on his back since I was behind him.

"Will you be able to find your way back to your room? The west wing has a spell to confuse someone who doesn't know how to interpret the signs. So it's kind of like a maze in a sense." Zach said. I was surprised. It was the longest statement I had heard from him ever since coming to the manor.

The west wing of the Celestine Manor was exclusively used by Aunt Zaira. She was a woman with many secrets so putting a complicated spell on her side of the house was normal.

I shook my head in response to his question.

"Ask Aunt Zaira to give you a temporary guide then until you finally know your way around the manor."

"Okay."

I just watched as he slowly disappeared from my sight. I turned to the door of Aunt Zaira's study and knocked.

"Come in." she said.

After entering the room, I saw her drinking tea and she offered the seat across hers so I sat there.

"How were you able to find your way?" she asked.

"Ah, Zach led the way."

"I see. I forgot to give you a guide." she gave me a thin book. "These are all the signs you will need to interpret to not get lost in the spellbound hallways."

I nodded my head and received the book. I noticed she kept looking out the window so I glanced at well. Not that far from the manor's boundary was inaudible explosions.

"What's going on, Aunt Zaira?" I asked.

"Some fifth year students from the Military Arts Department of the Imperial Academy are taking their exams. Whether they'll be trainees for the Hunters, the Knights, the Army or the Royal Knights for the next two years will depend on the results of this." she answered.

"I see."

"Next month should be the fifth year students of the Magic Arts Department."

"Uhm... Is there any other reason you called me?"

"Oh, right. I meant to give you a familiar after finishing your adoption process."

"A familiar? Adoption process?"

I was really confused at her words.

"Yes." she gave me a piece of paper and asked me to read it.

It was adoption documents and it said that I had legally become an adopted daughter of the Celestine Family. And my new identity was…

"Luna Hysi von Celestine?"

"The family name von Celestine, is more like just an additional name. For whatever reason, whether good or bad, anyone adopted into the Celestine Household, will bear their original family names." she explained. "For example, my full name is Zaira Chrishni von Celestine. Eliza's is Eliza Castea von Celestine and Edmund's is Edmund Castea von Celestine."

"What about Sebastian and Zach?"

"Those two are in quite a different situation and you don't have to dwell on it."

I wasn't sure that time if Aunt Zaira was aware that I only looked like an eight-year-old girl but she had already given me a complicated explanation. When I asked her about it one time she said I seem to be smarter than kids my age.

"As of this moment, you are officially one of the members of the Celestine Family."

At the thought of being part of such a fun and warm family, my chest welled up in happiness and before I knew it, I was already hugging Aunt Zaira with tears of joy in my eyes. She didn't seem to mind it and just caressed my head.

"Thank you very much." I said.

After crying, which I became embarrassed afterwards, she gave me her other gift.

"I found this one in a dungeon up in the northern ridges. It's still an egg but if you care for it really well it will be very loyal to you." she said and handed me a scaled egg that was bigger than my head.

"What kind of creature is it?"

"I'm not sure myself. The dungeons are filled with many things so it's no use guessing."

"Is it really mine?"

"Yes."

My eyes were sparkling when she gave me the confirmation. But my happiness turned to uneasiness when she placed three thick books in front of me.

"Uhm…"

"The Celestine Family had always produced exceptional mages and knights. And you should have a contribution as well."

I looked at the titles of the book and they were all basic manuals for combat and magic.

"Aunt Zaira, I'm not suitable for magic though." she only gave me a raised eyebrow as if asking what I meant. "I mean, it's magic in a sense but it's not fully magic?"

"What does that mean? Do you remember something?"

"No, but I have a feeling." I paused and cautiously looked at her. "Aunt Zaira, have you ever heard of Mystic Arts?"

For a second, I thought I saw her getting surprised but she was able to immediately mask it into a neutral one.

"That's a lost form of martial arts." she answered. "How did you know about that?"

"I'm not sure myself. It just popped up in my head." I lied.

"Mystic arts huh. A long time ago it is said to be an ability available only to non-human species. Nature spirits to be exact." she said. "Instead of converting the natural energy around us to magic energy and perform our spells, mystic arts directly manipulate the natural energy by injecting a bit of the user's own energy or inner energy on the surroundings."

"Yes."

"It's very dangerous though. Sure the techniques based on it are powerful, but it also has huge drawbacks." she warned.

"I'll just have to be careful."

"Are you sure you're eight?" I nodded with a cheeky smile. "Fine."

She took the two books about the foundations of magic and instead replaced it with a book titled 'The Body Tempering Manual'.

"Mystic arts and combat arts are a perfect pair. And if you're really set on learning mystic arts, you must first strengthen your body. Do you understand?"

"Aunt Zaira, do you perhaps know how to-"

"I don't practice it myself, but I can teach you. Once I run out of things to teach you then you'll have to figure things out yourself. You should be able to do that. Right now, you have to build your foundations first."

I smiled and gave her an enthusiastic nod.

"Training starts tomorrow. Give those books a read and try to sleep early."

"Yes Aunt Zaira!"

I happily exited the room despite my hands being full. Aunt Zaira formed a magical light orb that would lead me out of the west wing. I happily started reading The Body Tempering Manual. With my knowledge of the divine mystic arts which I learned from my sister while I was still a young fox, and the method Aunt Zaira was trying to use, I decided to become strong. No, one of the strongest, if not 'the' strongest.

Luna's family was murdered and she died as well before I took over her body. I needed to find some answers about their death. It was the least I could do for letting me use her body. I also aimed to be strong enough to confront those who executed my sister, Elthesia, thru unjust reasons, as well as those who drove me to my death. Even if they were divinities of Afasia, as a previous fox deity, I know how to get my vengeance.

"It will take some time." I muttered. "But I will get there. And I'll make them regret."

My days of training under the tutelage of Aunt Zaira felt like hell, but my will and determination preceded the thought of giving up. After all, with all that happened, I had no intentions of giving up.