In a dimly lit, cosy study, Alum and Luna sat beside one another, reading a book each while snacking on sweet treats and tea. Alum was reading a book he’d received from Luna while Luna was reading a novel. Time passed in silence, and they’ve grown used to each other’s company.

 Neither of them was used to this sort of thing, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Luna leaned her back on Alum’s shoulder while she flipped through the pages. She felt warm and fluffy inside. It was a comfort she wasn’t used to.

 Meanwhile, Alum read and re-read the book that Luna gave him. Although he was focused on the book, he did pay close attention to Luna. He didn’t mind that she leaned on him since his usual mellow self was unperturbed by most things that happened around him. Still, he didn’t find the situation unpleasant at all, and whenever he had difficulty grasping a concept through re-reading, Luna explained things to him. 

 He’d previously learned that mana was spread out evenly throughout the body and that imagination played a role in constructing a spell when releasing it. The most basic form of magic was attribute magic, which relies on the elemental properties of the wielder. Using this magic type was as natural as moving one’s body.

 Alum could somewhat understand that part, as he, too, felt something a while back when he first encountered Chely. But after his encounter with Amethely. He learned that there were different kinds of magic. Instruction magic was one such magic. He wasn’t sure how it worked, but from what he learned from the short description of Luna’s book. It was a magic that utilised tracing magic circuits and is commonly found in Magi-techs.

 Still…this sort of magic is very difficult since it’s artificial, and not many people are able to use it as they do attribute magic. Hence, it’s mostly reserved for Magi-tech, even though it could be activated through visualisation like attribute magic. Instead of using the imagination to visualise the spell, it’s used to visualise the circuit and trace it with mana.

—Even Alum could understand how that would take a toll on the mind.

 Another component was chanting. Even though it isn’t obligatory, it could help the body associate with a specific spell, and it can be stabilised further through a name. The reasons aren’t apparent, but it is speculated that it allows the caster to link mana and memory through the spell’s name. But either was required. Luna also added that being able to control mana in itself was a necessity.

 Alum also found healing magic quite surprising, as it didn’t require a specific attribute. However, it was more efficient when either light or water attribute was present. But healing magic drained a lot of mana, and it was difficult to perform. Therefore, not a lot of people bother to learn higher-tier healing magic.

 Other than attribute magic, there was colourless magic, which was just magic without an attribute. These types of magic are related to enhancement magic, such as body reinforcement and barriers.

 In academics, these types of magic were most commonly taught, along with the most common offensive magic. For more advanced offensive magic, the individual had to learn it themselves, or it was further taught in the military academy. 

 Not only that, magic is quite well regulated, and anything unauthorised will be completely obliterated. In other words, weaponising magic inside the city was pretty meaningless. Alum was curious as to how the barriers worked but wasn’t privy to that information. He did know of a thing called The Diloth Sphere, and from his understanding, it was essentially a supercomputer powered by a star.

 Vile criminals and creatures were not a non-issue inside the cities due to it, but the same couldn’t be said about the outside world, where both ran rampant. But even if they don’t pose too much of a threat, there are cases like Dark Bon Selges. Despite how rare creatures like these were, one shouldn't let their guard down. Alum only knew about its existence due to having read the report he’d helped Rigeld with.

 Alum has been spending his time reading and gathering all sorts of information about the world and how it works. Sure, the others did the same, but they didn’t get to choose what to learn. He confirmed this by speaking to Luna about it. But, unlike him, they also learned culture. And well, perhaps he should take note and learn those things as well…

 …

 …..

 …

 Quite some time has passed since he first entered the study. Although he felt a little tired due to the lack of sleep for the past few days, he kept studying until he fell asleep with Luna’s book in his hands.

 Luna, who’d been leaning her back on him, noticed that Alum was peacefully resting her head on hers. She felt a little surprised by the fact that they’d let their guards down by this much. Luna was reaching her limit as well… She’d recently returned from a mission not too long ago where there was an outbreak not too far away from the capital. As it turned out, cultists were behind the outbreak, and her team was in charge of exterminating them. And when they finally came back to the capital, they were sent out on another mission again… Except for Luna, who now had the role of an instructor to the recruits because of her uncle’s request.

 Now that she was in charge of training recruits, she’d been able to relax somewhat. Though…she still wanted to take a vacation… (This is at least a lot better than being in the wilderness and constantly being alert.) she thought.

 Putting her and Alum’s books aside, she turned off the lamps and glanced at him. He was sleeping soundly, and his guard was fully down. Luna giggled softly at the sight, as she had never thought she’d get along with him. It made her happy that she’d consider this bond special. Perhaps she could consider him a friend?

 Luna was never the sort of person to get along with others, mostly due to them wanting something from her, but also due to her sceptical nature as royalty. But when her uncle mentioned that they’d probably get along just fine, she raised an eyebrow at his remark. At the time, she sighed. She knew that her uncle had a keen eye, which is why she decided to meet him like this despite the abnormal situation.

 (…What uncle in his right mind would tell a man to meet up with his niece in the middle of the night? And a princess such as myself at that…?)

 Well…there was another reason she accepted this. She was curious about what sort of person he was, and her first impression of him did change. Conversing with him was enjoyable. The silence wasn’t gloomy or awkward, and they could just enjoy each other’s company.

 Throughout her life, many gathered around her and idolised her. Despite the praise she received despite the many people around her, there was always a large distance between her and others. She felt grateful to her uncle for being there for her, but he was a busy man…

 (…Should I help with paperwork as a thank you?) she considered for a moment. She was hitting her limit as well and glanced at Alum. (…This much should be fine…right? We’re friends after all.) She snuggled closer and leaned on him, eventually falling asleep on his lap.

 …

 …..

 …

 Sorting through documents and finishing up the last few, Rigeld wondered if the two had met. Curious and hopeful, he decided to head over to Luna’s study and ask if Alum had visited. And to his surprise, the two of them seemed comfortable. Luna was resting on Alum’s lap while being cosily in a fetal position.

 Rigeld wanted to capture the scene but didn’t have a device with him. But he also had to think twice because Luna would come storming into his office if he did that.

 ‘Well…isn’t this shocking?’ he hushed.

 Rigeld started to feel slightly guilty due to his actions, considering that it’s rumoured that Saint Amethely was in love with Alum. Although it was a rumour, he knew it was the truth. He saw it himself, after all. He didn’t think too deeply about it since it might’ve just been one-sided on Alum’s part. He knew that Amethely was somewhat clumsy in her spare time. Hence her being flustered. But…when he thought about it again, not once did he notice a reaction like it from her when it came to other men.

 (Love at first sight…) In truth, Rigeld wished it was Luna instead of Amethely. Seeing how they got along, he wished Luna the best in everything and wanted to see her smile. Perhaps he’s wrong, and it’s one-sided. If so… (No… Perhaps Luna doesn’t see it the way I do. Perhaps this affectionate scene is something different from romance… Only she knows.)

 …

 …..

 …

 In the middle of the night, Alum woke up to a familiar ceiling. There were fancy artworks hanging on the walls, and there were many bookshelves and a massive workplace.

 He couldn’t sleep, so he got up and rubbed his eyes. It was completely dark, and the moon was hidden behind dark clouds. He got up to use the restroom; however…he heard some noise from downstairs.

 (…What’s with the ruckus?) he pondered.

 His head throbbed, and he felt drowsy, which was unusual. Or is he perhaps too tired? Alum normally woke up in the middle of the night and never felt this way before. Thus, something wasn’t right.

 (…I should take some tablets…)

 He slowly walked toward the door and noticed the lights in the halls were off. Reaching his hand out to grab the doorknob, he pushed the somewhat heavy wooden door. The hall was pitch black, and the lights didn’t turn on even when he stepped out.

 (…Hmm? An outage? Why isn’t the generator on?)

 He walked in the dark, stumbled a little, and found it strange that the live-in guards weren’t present. He now had a slight suspicion as to what was going on and decided to wait until it became completely silent.

 He made his way downstairs, and his feet were wet and somewhat sticky. The air smelled like iron, and the stench was terrible. But despite that, he kept walking without inspecting the obstacles in the dark.

 But when he reached the living room, where it was bright enough, he stood there frozen. There was an unfamiliar man covered in darkness. Alum shifted his gaze to the man’s hand and saw cold steel. The blade was coated in blood as the drops sought their way down to the bloody puddle. He looked around. Guards were out with a hole between the eyes—his parents were on the floor in an unrecognisable state, which seemed like the result of torture. 

 His breath became ragged as he became nauseous. The air tasted like blood. Casting his gaze downwards, he saw that he, too, was drenched in blood; the things in the halls—the obstacles were corpses. He clenched his chest and fell down on his knees. His breath intensified as he began to hyperventilate. The man moved closer to him. His eyes were cold. “Huh? A kid?” his voice was as cold and eerie as his eyes.

 With those words echoing throughout the room, he smiled and glared at Alum. Seeing how he was hyperventilating and unable to move properly, the man kicked him so that he fell on the floor. The man got on top of him and stabbed the blade downwards right beside Alum’s throat.

 He saw fear in the boy’s eyes, but… “Good… Good, you’re at least not a crybaby,” he remarked. “Say, kid… If you tell me where the valuables are. I can let you live. How about it?” the man suggested. “You’re a good boy, so you’ll tell me, right?”

 Alum couldn’t completely comprehend the situation, but he was light-headed, and his thoughts were fuzzy. He was either dying from hyperventilation or by the stranger’s cold blade.

 Through pure willpower, Alum held his breath to stop the hyperventilation. He steeled his heart to prevent himself from panicking more and closed his emotions—he switched gears and became cold.

 The man grinned and looked at him with great interest. “Oh? A smart kid, huh?” the man commented. The man got up and wiped off the blood from his blade. “So? Where’s the valuables?” he indifferently asked.

 Alum coldly glared at the man and sighed. “You should’ve asked the guards that before killing them...  But pretty much everything here is valuable to a certain degree. The halls are filled with artworks—”

 “Ahhh, boring! Tell me where the cash is; I don’t care about some paintings or sculptures!”

 “…Would jewellery and gold suffice?” Alum inquired. Since he was no longer paralysed, he got up and said, “Or are there some other valuables you’re after?”

 “Hmph, is that the tone you should be using, kid?” he asked with murderous intent.

 Alum coldly glared back. He then glanced at his dead parents, and their morphed form was burnt into his memories. “I don’t care either way; I’ve lost it all,” Alum replied.

 “Tch, what a creepy kid,” the man clicked his tongue. “Either way, I heard that this family worked on a valuable project; where’s that?”

 (…..) Alum glared dismissively at the man. “I’m not sure what project you’re referring to, but you know that there’s a project. Shouldn’t you and your team know now that you’ve murdered everyone?” Alum sarcastically remarked.

 The man shrugged. “My, my? Show me the vault, then.”

 “…It’s in the basement, but I’m sure your team already got in.”

 “…Say, you have no friends, do you? Ain’tcha a boring kid?”

 “My tutors told me I didn’t need them,” Alum calmly replied. He then walked into the dark hall. “Well, you’re coming or not?”

 The murderer grinned and followed Alum into the darkness. “You’re one bold kid,” he remarked. “Either way, why don’t you join us? I can have a rather high position and can take you in. I mean, I’ve taken a liking to you, kid.”

 Despite the darkness, the man could tell that Alum was glaring at him with resentful eyes. “No, thank you,” Alum replied.

 “What a shame,” the man shrugged. “Well, what will you do after all this?”

 “…You’ll let me live?”

 The man snickered and began to laugh. He then looked at Alum with intrigue. “Of course, I’ll do. That is if you keep your word.”

 “I see,” Alum indifferently replied.

 Having guided the man around to their valuables, the man suddenly pointed his blade toward Alum’s throat. “We’ll be leaving. Are you certain you won’t come along?”

 Alum shook his head. “No. I’d rather die here.”

 “Hmph, the easy way out, huh?”

 “…..”

 The man turned his back toward Alum and began to walk. He glanced back, commenting, “Hmm, those eyes, I like them,” while grinning like a madman.

 After some time passed, Alum regained his senses again and fell on his knees. He clenched his fists and resentfully glared toward the exit. 

 “Screw you…”

 …

 …..

 …

 Before he realised it, Alum had nodded off, and his neck was somewhat stiff. He could hear the sound of flipping pages and a warm sensation on his lap. It was bright, and when he opened his eyes, the sun was shining brightly and fully illuminated the study.

 He felt slightly uncomfortable due to the heat, but his legs were also giving in. He’d lost sensation, and the culprit was none other than Luna. She rested her head on his lap while she read the book from before.

 He wasn’t all surprised when he saw her in this intimate position because he realised yesterday that she was either very cold or affectionate. Hence their close proximity. Much like Alum. Luna lacked skinship, and her sense of boundaries was slightly off.

 It was perhaps because she felt like Alum was close enough to her; she felt very comfortable with their distance, and the same could probably be said about Alum. He was always alone as a child—rather, he was lonely despite the many people surrounding him.

 Seeing Luna like this reminded him of himself. The young and naive boy who sought affection only to receive none.

 Suddenly, Luna felt a wet yet warm sensation hit her cheek. She took her eyes off her book and shifted her gaze to Alum. Only to realise that he was in tears. She froze for a moment, not knowing what to do. But seeing his pained expression, she began to panic.

 “!? A-Al? W-What’s wrong!? D-Did it feel that uncomfortable!? I-If so… I’ll stop!”

 Luna got up as fast as she could. She felt relieved when he shook his head. Uncertain of what to do to comfort him, she gently hugged him. She was probably just as confused as he was. Neither comprehended the situation, but for whatever reason, Luna, too, began to tear up and cry beside him.

 Moments passed, and they both calmed down. Alum thanked her for comforting him, and he remembered those times when Emely would do this for him.

 “I don’t know why I teared up as well…” she said while shyly averting her gaze.

 Alum chuckled a little. He wanted to comment that she was more emotional than he thought but decided just to pat her head. “Thanks, Luna,” he said, flashing her a rare smile. He was unsure if she liked it or not, but judging by her reaction, it seemed like she enjoyed it.

 “You thought it was like patting a small animal, didn’t you?” Luna queried.

 Alum smiled. “A little,” he replied.

 Hearing his reply, Luna pouted and picked her book back up. “…Why’d you stop?” she asked.

 “…I assumed you didn’t like it,” Alum replied while chuckling.

 “Liar…”

 

A/N 

 

Trivia…? 

Okay, no comment…. 

By the way. Princess = bestie…? 

No. 

Princess = Bestiebestie! Okay!? 

//she's a little sister character, no worries, unless IF Luna...