Pretending To Be Gilead's Prince and Master Wizard

We were so happy the following day to see Maggie coming to school in a delighted mood like she always does. All of us received her with wide smiles plastered on our faces.

"I'm sorry if I got you all worried for me," Maggie apologized and looked at each one of us. "I also went to our home village on just short notice."

"You don't have to apologize. We are your friends, and that's what friends do for each other." Ariella declared. We all nodded in agreement.

"Well, the important thing here is you all made sure that your parents are safe now," I said to somehow make her smile.

But she did the exact opposite of it, and that somehow bothered us.

"Well, yeah… My parents are safe from the attack since the magic army arrived in time before the perpetrator was able to annihilate every last one resident of our village…"

We all sighed in relief hearing that statement from her. However, I wonder what:s bothering her if that is the case then.

"Yet, the other residents… They suffered much, either by losing a loved one or something that is important to them like their properties or their houses were destroyed. So I can't be a hundred percent happy about it." Maggie continued in a melancholic tone.

I smiled at how our friend is so thoughtful of other people. It's like one of our escapades after school going to Central Town. 

Once when Maggie and I were strolling at some shops, we came across a beggar on the way. She didn't have second thoughts about giving that beggar her money, even though it meant she couldn't buy the shoes that she wanted at that time.

Looking at it, I totally realized how lucky I am to have a friend like her.

Since I was sitting next to her on her right, I draped one hand over her shoulder and said…

"That is still worth celebrating for. Your parents are safe, and your village was not totally wrecked, so there are still reasons to be happy about it. We could all pray for all the souls that were lost during the attack, and wish them all the happiness on the other side."

At the time I finished talking, it was then when I finally saw Maggie smiling at us.

"You're definitely right," she said.

"However…" Cailin chimed in. "I heard from my parents that the attack that happened at Citrus Town is far worse than what happened in Maggie's home village."

I wanted to agree with her, but that would only cause them to be confused about it. So instead I refrained from talking and silently agreed with her.

But whoever it is that's behind all these attacks, whether it's really that Raven we encountered or not, I'll make sure to train harder to make them all pay for all that they did to innocent lives that were lost.

Our first-period class then started in a while when our class adviser, Mr. Pumpkin, entered our classroom with a serious look on his face. 

There are two reasons that I could think of why he's acting this way. Either he has bad news to deliver to his students… or it's because he displeases one of his student's grades in his class.

"Good morning…" Mr. Pumpkin started with a greeting. We greeted him back in unison.

"The faculty and staff had a brief discussion regarding the recent attacks that are going on in our country, and from there we came into a final decision of letting you off for a week…"

All of us made sure to refrain from celebrating what our teacher is about to announce to us and tried to be as serious as he is.

"That means no school for the whole week to ensure your safety. For that, we all need you to stay in your respective houses while the attacks are being resolved. No shoppings during the whole week for you."

Then I heard one student murmuring something to her seatmate like "A week only? Why not make it the whole year instead?" but her seatmate only nudged her to her side with her right elbow. I chuckled at that.

The whole class was still silent, so our teacher went on with what he was about to say to us next.

"To ensure that you do not stop learning with the temporary vacation we are giving you, all of your teachers would assign you different homework to work on while you are in your respective houses. No complaints about that."

Even if he says that, some of my classmates still groaned silently from their seats. That same student earlier even mumbled, "Oh, come on! Are you kidding me?" or something like that.

"I think that's about it. I hope you all are safe in your homes. Now, for your homework…"

The teacher sews our homework on the board, which we are forced to copy and answer at home. Many made hissing, frustrated sounds because they were upset at going through the trouble while they were supposed to be resting. I chose not to speak up about it.

Other teachers did the same thing. So all in all, my day at school wasn't interesting today. Nor has it been during the past few months.

"Our country is in a complete mess right now for the school to dismiss classes for a week, huh?" Ariella said as we walked towards the school gates of Gilead Academy.

"Yes, but again, we don't need to worry about things. I am pretty sure that the higher officials are already doing what they can to resolve such issues. It will be over after a week.As the one who is privileged to be with the members of the royal council every single day, I tried to reassure them.

"I believe you," Cailin let out a smile on her face, and so did the others.

It was also when we reached the school gates and bid our goodbyes with one another before we all continued walking in our separate ways. 

During the whole walk going towards the castle, I suddenly felt it again… the feeling of being followed. Even so, this time I am pretty sure that it is not the class president that is now following me, but someone else.

Someone who is a real spy for the country's enemies.

I started walking faster than my regular pace to reach the marketplace. Since that place is always crowded, I thought of staying there for a while until I was sure the perpetrator was lost and it was safe for me to return to the castle.

Yet, as I prepared a getaway plan in my head, I wasn't able to see where I was heading to and happened to run into someone else. At that moment, I was about to apologize to the person I had bumped into when that person spoke suddenly.

"Don't look, and lower down your head," that voice warned me, whose owner is none other than the captain of the magic army. 

I was stunned for a moment but I did as what he told me to do.

How the heck did he know where I was walking just now?

It's a good thing Lancelot asked me to look out for you, or else you will get yourself in trouble once again. Don't ask me any questions until we return to the castle." he added.

Ahh… it was Lancelot who told him to pick me up.

I was still in a daze when I felt his right hand grab my right hand and pull me to wherever he wants me to go. While we are in the process of losing the spy, I can't help but be astonished just by merely looking at our hands currently intertwined with one another.

It's just like that day when he first grabbed my hand while pulling me out of the subway station and planned to take me to the castle with him. At that time, I feel really anxious and scared at the same time that I thought of him as part of a notorious syndicate who sells girls like me abroad.

But after four months have passed, I could definitely say that accepting this impersonating job that I am doing right now on behalf of the real prince is one of the best decisions that I have ever made so far.

I had no regrets about accepting it… no matter what happens.

Alex ended up taking me to a children's park near to where his house is located. As of now, the park is currently empty, it's just the two of us sitting on the swings and not saying anything ever since we came here.

"We just need to let the time pass before we return to the castle once I made sure that the coast is clear," he explained even though I didn't ask for it,

I only nodded my head as my response.

Then there was silence filling the air between us…

At the same time, the weird conversation that they had yesterday that kept me wondering all night started flashing back in my head, so then I decided to ask him about it.

I turned to look at him once more and asked, "Is there something that you are keeping from me? Is there something that I should know about, huh?"