-Meanwhile-
During the morning, before Estel exposed her light-magic.

//Tailed.//

"Looks like father's premonition was correct," Esla said to the knight captain.

Right now, they are on top of a wyvern gliding in the air among the shadow knights.
Being tailed by 6 wyverns at a distance a large distance away from them.
Only a sliver of shadow can be seen.

One of them tried to intercept, but as soon as they get closer to them they swiftly retreat.
Then later returns to continuously follow them.

The knight captain then bitterly said.
"The attack on the castle wasn't made by just one person.
There was a traitor inside that have toyed with the castle defenses.
The fact we haven't figured who that person is yet.
Is the real problem right now."

As the wyvern continue to glide in the air, they have finally passed by 5 countries finally reaching the city of Bristle. Though, it was already too late for them to realize the number of enemies behind their backs.

"Do you think they know I am here?" she worriedly asked.

The knight-captain then said.

"I highly doubt it.
Your father isn't foolish enough to risk his daughter's life and say, she had come with the knights.
Although reports of you, missing.
Should have already spread back in the castle by now."

She gently smiled then said.
"I bet, the black-council is wracking their heads searching for me.
Though, they were the one to blame for why Estel was helpless during the attack.
If only she was capable of defending herself, it would have been easier to fight that man."

The knight captain could only nod to her statement.
Esla fought while defending her family in mind, taking advantage of that fact he threw a deadly magical lance that could pierce the guard and scale of a black dragon.

Currently, the rest of the knights were keeping guard from the rear of their wyvern while the knight captain and Esla spoke privately. None of them knew the eldest daughter of the demon-king was among them as she sneaked in with the help of the knight captain.
Also, their attention was more on the wyverns eerily following them like shadows.

One of them then approached the two, it was Seid.
He then said with a worried expression.

"I'm sorry, Knight-Captain.
Concealment magic didn't work.
Looks like they have a powerful tracker among them."

He nods to him, then said.
"Continue using it.
We will try to shake them off in the mountains.
There's no way we can resume our search for her like this."

As he said these words, he gave a salute.
But then the device on Esla's hand began to turn while making a sound.

"!?" *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* as it soon went silent again.

She then turned to the knight captain, with a worried expression.
"What should we do?" she ask the knight captain.

He then said with a troubled expression.

"We will land.
For now, we don't have a single trace of where she is.
As for these bastards following us.

I highly doubt they will engage us in a fight.
But they will likely try to snatch Estel away from us, the moment we find her."

Seid nods once again.
And returned to the three knights he was cooperating with.
The two then conclude.

"They are no doubt...
After my sister aren't they?" she said with worry.

The captain then bitterly said.
"News of her having the blood of the white dragon had already long spread in the castle.
It will undoubtedly draw the attention of the many demon-kin that sought to use her power."

Esla then said with a troubled expression.

"A traitor in the castle.
My sister sent in an unknown place.
And now being stalked by our own people.
Look's like whoever is pulling strings, back home.
Is possibly much more dangerous than we imagine."

________________________________________________________________________________

// Response //

As soldiers and scouts noticed the wyvern landing near their forest,
News arrived to the king and queen of bristle with haste.
Their very presence pushed them in high alert.

Due to a certain fact.
(*Shadow Knights were known to destroy countries that dared to challenge their kingdom.*)

But there was another problem occurring.
The queen right now was ill in bed with the king paying her attention the moment it has arrived.
All she could simply do, was a nod to her king as he proceeded to deal with his panicking people.

With his aide and servants following him, discussing their next move.
He then sat in his throne with a troubled look.
Glancing at his many servant and aides each one giving him idea's and thoughts to deal with the situation.

He then turned to the beauty and riches his throne held...
Then thought.
[This place might turn to history soon if they start rampaging here.
I've heard rumors and news of many wyverns flying across many countries.
But why would they come to such a large distance just to land here?]
Was his question.

His son Lance, soon came to him with a gleeful smile on his face, walking proudly in the red carpet with his princely clothes.
As he said to him

"It could be possible they are searching for the demon-kin noble that we found."

"!?" Everyone in the room turned to him going completely pale and silent.

His father then asked.
"What demon-kin!?" he cried out.

His son then calmly said.

"The missing noble my mother found while wandering the woods a few weeks ago.
Even now she is missing, no?
Surely if we show them no harm and look for her, we can easily deal with the situation."

Everyone in the room chattered with their thoughts as soon his father then stood as he said.
"Then we will need to buy time, allow me to-" His son swiftly cut him off while saying.

"Please! Father, stay by mother's side.
She is ill right now and needs someone to care for her.
Allow me to meet with our visitor, I'll try and explain the situation to them."

His father then gave him a glance, with a worried expression on his face.
He looks to his followers as they nod, then to him once again.
Finally, he spoke.

"Very well...
But you must flee as swiftly as you can, should they show any kind of hostility!
Are we clear?"

He nods to him in response as he then asks.
"May I use the personal knights, I've for this quest?"

His father nods to him as he soon turns to his aide's to deal with the masses of trouble slowly clumping due to the fear of the populace. Lance, however, had a wide grin on his face, while sending a letter to his sister as he met his own colleague.

________________________________________________________________________________

During the afternoon.
[Note: They call Estel, Luria in public, but Estel when no one else is present.]

// Coincidence. //

After the discussion regarding light-magic,
They soon said their farewell to Estel telling her they will continue their discussion later.
While they returning to their daily classes.
But a servant then interrupted everyone in the class as the person claim an emergency letter for the princess. As she opens it, giving the details of her mother currently sick and dying in bed.

Her face stiffens upon reading it, they soon excused themselves as she said an emergency had happened in her home.

Lana who was following, behind her then worriedly said.
"What incredible timing...
Should we ask Luria if she can do something for her?"

Leanne swiftly retorts with a troubled expression,
"You are aware, that if my mother founds out that Luria can use "That".
All attention of the whole castle will go straight to her." She then added.

"And besides...
We also aren't sure if Luria can deal with curses using light magic.
The fact: My mother was attacked during our visit to Roswell.
Was something unexpected."

Lana then said with a troubled look.
"It's very unlikely that the kingdom of Roswell would send out assassin all because of trade competition. Which could only mean one thing..."

Leanne then worriedly answered, while walking straight to the greenhouse with Lana in tow.
"Someone is instigating a conflict between our nation.
The fact that my family was attacked by an assassin, but was swiftly put down by their men.
Means it wasn't their work on the matter." She paused a bit as she then said to her.

"But now this letter tells us a powerful curse had been placed on her,
All I could simply recall during that time was.
The moment when that assassin threw his weapons aimed at my mother, it slightly grazed her shoulder." She grips her dress a bit in frustration then turned to continued.

"The letter also mentioned that...
Our royal mage court nor the church of light was able to help her.
All they could simply do was slow-down the process of the curse,
But it slowly grew by the day, now she's sick in bed because of this."

As they then finally reached the greenhouse.

She pushed the doorway as it made a *SLAM* on both sides opening it with force.

"Luria we are going home!
Prepare your things." She said to Estel as her surprised expression was written on her face.

________________________________________________________________________________
//We are going home!//

Estel was drinking her tea while asking a question to Aisha.
"Couldn't the white dragons just use 『Shape-shifting』and hide amongst the humans?"
Aisha snorted at her question then answered with another question,

"You think the proud race known as the dragons can do such a thing?"

Estel gave a wry smile as she heard it.
As Aisha soon explained.
"Also, it takes centuries of practice to even master『Shape-shifting』
It's incredibly difficult to change our large draconic form into a human.
Even your father took 2 centuries to get it right.
He also shaped himself into a weird lizard-man before he managed to successfully do so..."

It then added with an annoyed expression.

"You are a half, so it's easy for you to remain in your human form.
But as you continue to use your power as a dragon.
A part of your body will cause scales to grow, where you need to learn『Shape-shifting』to properly hide them."

As it said those words, Estel could only warily look around her body.
Fearing scales truly had grown.

"You have nothing to worry about,
You hadn't transformed into a dragon yet.
So it's only natural there's nothing there yet."

Estel retorts.
"Then I'm seriously not going to transform into one."

Aisha could only groan at her rejection, as it sighed.
But then the door slams open, as Estel and Aisha swiftly scuttled to return to their usual posture.

"Luria we are going home!
Prepare your things." with a surprised expression.

"But why!?" She asks.

Leanne expression was serious with a tinge of worry in it.
She then said.
"My mother is sick...
You don't happen to know a way to break a curse using light magic.
Do you?" She asks with concern.

Estel who heard it was faced with a question.
[Should I say yes, or no.
But the fact that her country people weren't able to break it...
Means it's actually a powerful curse.]

As she follows her logic, she swiftly shook her head with a pale expression.
Leanne and Lana could only look with concern.
Lana then asked.
"Are you sure?"

Estel swiftly cried out to them.
"No! I only know recovery magic, and nothing else."

The two then sighed in dismay.
It was at that moment they swiftly left the greenhouse to fix their things.
They only left a few things as it is...
Because it was simply a temporary leave from the school.

After a few moments, they swiftly left in a carriage.
But as they left the large gate of the school,
Another carriage then entered to their side.

________________________________________________________________________________

//Missed Opportunity!//

Inside that carriage was Jake, who had finally arrived at the school.
As he left the carriage with a tired expression he could only complain and say.
"Ah, finally back...
Now I can get all these questions out of my head."

As he rushed to the greenhouse post-haste.
He only found an empty room, neatly cleaned but a bit of damage to the plant has been made also a few fruits were missing in his batch of plants he cared for.

[What the heck happened to this place?] was the cry in his thoughts.
But there was no point in wandering around, in an empty place he swiftly searched for answers by asking the guards nearby.

[If she isn't in the greenhouse then, she should be with the owl.]

He then asked for the location for her highness, Leanne.
Only for them to say.
"If you are looking for your highness, then she just recently left."

"Eh?
Where did they go?" he asks with a blank expression.

The guard could only calmly say.
"To their palace, where else..."

He then in a panicked expression then asked.
"Was her maid with her!?"

"If you are talking about the purple maid with her...
Then yes." His expression went blank as he heard it, then kneeled on all four.

He once again asks.

"Are... are they coming back?"

The guard could only groan as he said.
"How should I know!?
She's a student here but also a princess you know?"

"I..."

"I see..."
His blank and pale expression as he walks back to his room.
Defeated and worriedly waiting for their safe return.

________________________________________________________________________________