Father is returning today, the whole mansion is buzzing and so am I. I ended up asking Marquess for a day off just to be home today, so once Emily and Veri were done dressing me into a light yellow floral gown with fluffy sleeves I rushed down the hallways and stairs. The maids and butlers in the hallways starred as I ran down the stairs and to the giant oak doors. I ran out and found Orion and Kaven standing at the stone paved pathway and stung my nails onto Orion's shoulder to steady myself which made him hiss at me.

"Glad to see you made it on time." Kaven smirked as Orion glared at me.

"Thank you, I wouldn't dare to be late." I said, and from the distance I can see the giant designed iron doors of the property open and the carriage and knights on horses galloped in. All the maids and butlers who were waiting for them stood up straight while we stood in the middle, my arms hooked with Orions.

The carriages drove towards the mansion while all the other knights took their horses to the stables. Behind the carriage there were two wagons, which made me wonder which market did father buy off? And if grandfather is anything like father, he might have helped too.

All the maids and butlers bowed as the carriage stopped in front of us, the head butler Josep stepped forwards and opened the door, father walked down with a smile as he saw us standing there waiting for him. But soon after he stepped down, father helped grandfather down. The resemblance is uncanny, the only thing that was different is grandfather's aged wrinkles and white hair. His eyes were more like Orions, cyan blue.

The Esmeray bloodline is quite impressive.

"Children," Father said as we smiled. Kaven and Orion bowed to Grandfather, I was confused so I hurried into a curtsy.

"My dear..." Grandfather trailed off as I curtsy. "It seems like you actually lost your memories."

I look around confused as father offers me a soft smile.

"You usually hug your grandfather, Evanora." He said as realisation drew upon my face.

"Oh my- how careless of me." I said with a smile as I reached out to hug him, which he gladly took and returned. "Welcome home, grandpa."

I never really had a grandfather in my past life, I barely had a family. But this hug was warm and nice.

Grandfather lets me go and hugs Kaven and Orion while father ruffles my hair.

"How was the past week without me?" He asked, I wanted to tell him about all the chaos I went through, the random stalker, the Crown prince and a darn skeleton of a dragon, but I just smiled.

We might get into a civil war if I tell him about the Crown Prince.

"Everything went well, no one's head was hanging in front of the gates." I whispered which made him laugh.

"Ah, it's good knowing Kaven controlled himself." He said.

"Honestly, if we didn't have a good public image, people would think of Esmerays as tyrants" I said to which Father shook his head.

"They would if we hang anyone and everyone, Kaven is very specific on hanging criminals of horrendous crimes" He said as we walked into the mansion with everyone.

"You should go and take a rest, Joseph would show grandpa the prepared room." I smiled, as he nodded and walked to the stairs, helping Grandfather up as he went. Me, Kaven and Orion stand at the door as the butlers unload the wagons. And they were filled with whatnot. Swords, arrows, daggers and I thought our armoury already had enough.

Kaven checked all of them personally, inspecting if we got scammed or not, while I turned to Orion.

"Grandpa seems easy going," I said.

"Oh, let him get used to this place again." He chuckled.

Once Kaven was done, he joined us and the three of us walked inside. The conversation flowed normally about the upcoming festival.

"I will be moving to the capital soon right?" I asked. A part of me was anxious because this means the original plot of the story is starting.

"Yes, I can't wait to meet up with my academy friends," Orion chimed in.

"And I hope you both need to look for suitable suitors this year?" I laughed as Kaven's face turned sour. He doesn't like the idea of getting married at all.

"Kaven must get a fiance first, even if I don't find one this year I won't be held against the dagger." Orion joined me as we both threw names of potential young ladies we both knew. Kaven is very skilled in ignoring both of us.

Once we had enough bothering Kaven, we walked our separate ways Kaven to his study, Orion to check on the knights unit that returned and I to my own room since I have nothing to do as I took a day off from the Tower, I wonder who is dealing with flaming skeletons today.

After a light lunch, it was just a lazy time around father's study. Kaven and father were talking about everything that happened in the past week. Occasionally Grandpa would give his opinion on the business as he played chess with Orion. Orion isn't doing very well.

"My dear," Grandpa called as my head shot up as I looked at him.

"I heard now you are the Matriarch of Illusions?" He asked, to which I awkwardly laugh.

"Ah, yes that is the title given to me by the Tower of magic." I replied.

"Well, can you explain the concept of these titles to this old man," He said before he did checkmate on Orion and turned his complete attention to me.

"We never really asked about it either." Father said as well before he and Kaven walked away from the study desk and joined us.

"It's really nothing that special," I said. "As we know right now the strongest magician is Marquess and no one has crossed that level yet."

"The highest level of magic is Level 6, those are the magicians who are capable of doing and owning multiple forms of magic." I explained. "But a few magicians are there who exceed Level 6 and specialise a certain type of magic."

"Those people of course aren't that common, we usually call them high level magicians and there are only 13 of us currently in Alastaria." I looked around hoping my words weren't flying over their head. "The Marquess is the only one who can do the purest form of magic, and his title is The white Sorcerer."

"It's one of the titles given to the Archmage, and as the Archmage was the one who could do the pure magic, the Marquess takes his title."

"My one is Matriarch of Illusion, it's basically mastering the magic of flames but also using illusion to not let people know what the real speciality is. The first female mage who specialised and created this way of doing this magic took the title of Matriarch of Illusions, and since then it got passed on to future magicians." I explained.

"Our titles are what we inherited from other magicians after we learn their technique." I looked around hoping that I managed to explain it but I only saw four blank faces looking at me.

"Come on-!" I sighed with frustration. "We just inherited titles from past mages after we learned and specialised on their technique!"

"So just say that!" Orion exclaimed.

"I did say that in detail!" I hissed at him.

"Yeah, and that detail was bullshit!"

"It wasn't bullshit, you just have a pea sized brain to understand it!"

"Oh you did not just-"

Before Orion could finish his sentence, there was a knock on the door. After father gave permission, the oak doors opened and Joseph walked in. Strange, is it already time for dinner?

Joseph held a red scroll on his head.

"What do you have there Joseph?" Grandpa asked as Joseph bowed to all of us in the room.

"This came in just now, and this is addressed to Lady Evanora," He said before he handed the scroll to me. The red colour of the scroll was giving me red flag vibes.

I undid the ribbon around the scroll and opened it. Orion and Kaven who were sitting on either sides of mine leaning over my shoulder to read the scroll with me.

By the authority vested in me as Lucian De Conlaed Alastair, Crown Prince of Alastaria, and in recognition of the enduring loyalty and noble service rendered by the House of Esmeray, I hereby bequeath, in full ownership, the royal diamond mine located within the sovereign lands of Alastaria to Evanora Katara Esmeray, daughter of Duke Reuel Arye Esmeray of Eyrith. This grant is conferred as a testament to the enduring bond between our noble houses and shall be held by her and her lawful heirs in perpetuity, subject to the laws and regulations governing royal properties. The rights to the mine, including but not limited to the extraction, management, and distribution of its resources, shall transfer immediately upon the formalisation of this decree.

What?

What on Earth?

What on Earth is this?!

I looked at the faces of Orion and Kaven which are equally shocking as mine.

"A testament...?" Orion muttered.

"Enduring bond between our noble houses...?" Kaven muttered with the same dull expression and voice as Orion and I immediately understood what both of them were thinking.

Father took the scroll from me and he and grandpa read it. Both of their faces turned as horrified as ours.

"A royal diamond mine...?" Grandpa muttered.

"From the Crown Prince..." Father muttered.

"Is the Crown Prince courting you?" Kaven was the first one to address the elephant in the room, but that's not the elephant in the room because the Crown Prince isn't courting me, but he is making it seem like it!

"My dear Evanora is breathtaking, it's only fair if the Crown Prince courts her," Grandpa nods his head as if it's the most obvious thing. "No other man below him isn't worthy of her."

What do you mean! I by no means am not marrying that annoyingly persistent Crown Prince!

"Father! You can't just hand Eva to a man like him!" Father exclaimed as he stared at Grandpa.

Yes! Tell him father!

"Do you see anyone else more capable of holding Evanora's head instead of the future Emperor?" Grandpa questioned back.

"Wait, does that mean, Eva, are you in a relationship with the Crown Prince?!" Kaven held me by the shoulders as he asked me the question with wide eyes.

Stop getting into random conclusions!

"That Crown Prince is courting you?! I thought you hated him!" Orion exclaimed as I shook my head.

"Hold on everyone!" I shouted.

"Let me tell you something!" I stated. "LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING!"

***

I explained how I randomly helped the Crown Prince one day when I visited the Empress and this scroll was just out of gratitude. I skipped all the parts of how he was in a horrible condition and I have committed the crime of doing a royal medical experiment of a royal without consent and how I don't have the licence to randomly heal people. And how he is sending letters everyday and probably wishes to have my head served to him on a silver platter.

After I somewhat explained the situation and cleared the fact that no one is getting courted and no one is getting married to anyone. I rushed to my study. I barged into the room and locked the door before I rushed to the desk and hastily opened the drawer where I kept all the letters from the Crown Prince in a neat stack.

There were 9 letters in total, with the one that arrived this morning. I hurriedly opened the latest letter he sent me, which was on the top. With a letter opened I broke the seal of the pretty envelope and pulled out the neatly folded paper inside and unfolded it.

Dear Lady Evanora Esmeray,

I hope this letter finds you in a good mood.

I am aware that my letters are being ignored by you, it's very unheard of for royal letters to go seven days without being replied back. But I was very intrigued by your little challenge and with a little advice from my aide, I sent a gift that might get me your attention.

I know there are many others who are waiting day and night for that little attention from you but I must remind you Lady Esmeray, that I am not a patient man.

I hope the gift I send you suits you, but if you wish for something different I will get that arranged as well since you are my benefactor.

But with this gift, I demand something as well since I have been wounded by being ignored for too long. I demand your presence as soon as possible after you read this letter.

I don't take kindly to being kept waiting.

Sincerely yours,

Crown Prince

Lucian De Conlaed Alastair