Chapter 77 - 40

In a cottage in the middle of the lake, a man and a woman are seen. They are Ziel and Kalya. They were sitting side by side and Kalya was seen leaning her head on Ziel's shoulder. She entrusted her whole body to the man next to her.

"Go back to the mansion, it's getting late." Ziel subconsciously strokes Kalya's hair.

"Can't I stay like this a little longer?" Kalya looks at Ziel like an abandoned puppy.

"Won't you be bored?" Ziel flicked her forehead.

"Never...." She rested her head on his shoulder again.

"You can... Do it to your heart's content." Somehow he couldn't refuse her request. He could only sigh in his heart. He then took a blanket from his storage space and covered Kalya.

"Thank you... I love you, Ziel." She hugged him very tightly as if afraid Ziel would leave her. Not long after, she fell asleep on Ziel's shoulder.

After confirming that Kalya was asleep, Silphy manifested herself in front of Ziel.

(I'm sorry I just showed up. I just didn't want to interrupt your time)

Silphy flew over to Kalya and stroked her hair. Kalya was seen sleeping soundly on Ziel's shoulder. Sometimes she would smile in her sleep.

"I see. So what do you want?" Ziel doesn't like small talk with her. So immediately ask the purpose.

(I just want to say thank you. This girl can forget her past. But please don't betray her)

Silphy looks like a mother who loves her child very much.

"I did it because I wanted to. So you don't need to thank me. And lastly, I won't betray her. I don't know why, she reminds me of my past." Ziel stroked Kalya's hair gently. Kalya suddenly pulled his hand and gripped it tightly.

(Looks like you won't be able to go back to your dorm)

Silphy chuckled at the sight of them.

"I've been meaning to do that ever since she won't leave my shoulder." Ziel closed his eyes after saying that.

"Good night." He whispers those words to Kalya and falls asleep too.

***

Time passed quickly and morning arrived. The sun shines on Ziel and Kalya who are sleeping by the lake.

"Uh..." Kalya woke up from her sleep. What she saw first was Ziel who was next to her.

"Good morning." Ziel looked at her. Even though he wasn't smiling, his face softened.

"Good morning too, Ziel...eh, did you stay with me all night?" She was surprised mixed with happiness because the first person she saw when she woke up was the person she loved.

"Yes, let's just say that you accompany me because this is in front of my cottage. And you have to prepare to teach today." Ziel caressed her head gently. Kalya just smiled and closed her eyes.

"Alright, I will go first. See you in class, Ken." Kalya kisses his left cheek before leaving. She blinked one eye and disappeared from where she was.

"Was she like that before?" Ziel asked Silphy who opened her mouth wide.

(I've never seen her like that)

Silphy sighed and flew back towards the mansion.

***

The class that day entered lunchtime. As usual, they all gathered in the cafeteria. Ziel, Clara, and Princess Iris are currently sitting at a table for 4 people. So there won't be anyone else joining in while they're eating let alone interrupting their time.

Ziel is currently eating his food bit by bit. Around their table looks empty and absolutely no students dare to sit close to them. The cause was the currently pale-faced and gloomy girl, Princess Iris Neigal. The amount of mana that was leaking from her body was even more than yesterday. If it weren't for the artifact he gave to Clara, she might have died. Because Clara was the closest to her in the academy. He could have sealed it, but it would be repeated the next day. If he did it frequently then her mana would become unstable and more dangerous.

"Princess Iris, may I ask you something?" Although Ziel is often seen with her and clara. But their relationship is not very close. You could say that Ziel was just a bonus for her friendship with Clara.

"Yes, what is it?" Princess Iris tilted her head.

"Has anything happened these past few days?" Ziel tried to ask a question that didn't make her suspect him. If he asked directly with a deep question, he was afraid that Princess Iris would not honestly answer him.

"Hmm... I guess nothing special happened." She thought for a moment and answered doubtfully.

"Ah, didn't you faint yesterday when you went to the restroom?" Clara entered their conversation.

"Faint?" Ziel looked at princess Iris' face. She is no less beautiful than Kalya. If Kalya was a transcendent beauty, then the girl before him was a mystical beauty. Her beauty aura is covered in very dark mana.

"Maybe I'm a little unwell. When I was in the restroom, suddenly my head got dizzy and my vision went dark. And when I woke up, I was already in the treatment room. Even the person on duty back then didn't know who brought me." Princess Iris looks confused.

"You better take care of your health, Princess." Ziel didn't ask more, because he had already found a few clues.

Just then came a loud noise from the cafeteria entrance. The princesses and the teachers came together. And sat away from Ziel's table. Maybe they didn't see it, or they were afraid of the girl in front of him. Princess Iris's face darkened.

"Iris... You still have me as your friend, don't you? Hope you find a solution to your problem soon." Clara seems to already know the problem Princess Iris is having. She also at least knows that she can get close to her because of the hairpin that Ziel gave her.

***

While Clara was calming Princess Iris, at a table some distance away from them, the princesses and teachers sat at one table like yesterday. The difference is that Princess Iris and Clara are not with them.

"Freya, why do you look down?" Princess Aishia asked princess Freya who had a sullen face.

"Oh, nothing." She shook her head and smiled again. She just got annoyed because when she wanted to eat at one table with Ziel, she saw Ziel had already eaten at the table for 4 people. And the atmosphere around them was very dark, making her tremble as she approached them. The other students also felt the same way, even the teachers too.

"Miss Kalya, what's on that ring finger on your left hand?" Princess Rinne dropped a bomb on everyone at the table.

"This? Isn't this a ring?" Kalya showed her ring finger which was decorated with a plain emerald ring.

"Yesterday I didn't see you wearing it. Did you just buy it? But somehow I feel tremendous pressure from that ring you're wearing." Ashley who was sitting next to her asked.

"I didn't buy it, but it's a gift for me." She smiled slightly as she said her last sentence and emphasize the word 'gift'.

"Cough..." Princess Freya who was eating suddenly choked.

"Freya! Are you okay?" Princess Aishia immediately gave her a drink.

"Thank you, Aishia. I'm fine." She drank the water and looked back at the ring on Kalya's ring finger. She gritted her teeth in annoyance.

"Hee... Congratulations Miss Kalya." Princess Reina smiled at Kalya. But it seems that she enjoyed the reaction from Princess Freya earlier.

"Thanks." Kalya answered briefly.

"Miss Kalya, who gave it to you?" Princess Rinne asked curiously. The sound of her breathing sounded a little rough because she realized that the ring she wore on Kalya's finger was not just an ordinary magic tool.

"A man for sure." She glanced at Princess Freya who seemed to be holding back her jealousy and anger.

"Hee... He must be great to give something like that to you." Princess Rinne sighed and didn't bring up the topic anymore because the person in front of her was a teacher.

"Of course." Once again she smiled as she remembered Ziel giving her the ring. On one side there is a Princess with a dark face who keeps staring at Kalya while eating.

***

After class is over, Ziel is currently in his cottage accompanied by Kalya. Their spiritism practice was finished for the day.

"Ziel, what exactly is your relationship with the golden-haired princess?" Kalya suddenly asks him. She was still curious and bothered by it until now.

"Hmm... You could say it's just an acquaintance. Is there a problem?" Ziel saw Kalya's face that looked worried.

"No, it seems like she knows you very well and... Likes you." Kalya wanted to ask that from yesterday but she forgot it because Ziel gave her a ring. But she remembered again after seeing Princess Freya's reaction in the cafeteria.

"Maybe, I also didn't know he could recognize me with my current appearance. Maybe there's something special about her eyes." Ziel just shrugged his shoulders and wasn't interested in the matter. As long as she keeps quiet and doesn't reveal Ziel's true identity, it's not a problem.

"Your current appearance?" Kalya is confused and tilts her head cutely.

Ziel didn't say much and just closed his eyes. Suddenly his entire body distorted. When the distortion disappeared, what was visible there was Ziel with gray hair, his face became even more handsome and divine because he had now restored his power to demigod perfectly. He slowly opened his crimson eyes and looked directly into Kalya's eyes.

Kalya's body trembled slightly and a smile like blooming flower formed on her face. Previously she didn't care about Ziel's appearance at all. She already loved him very much. But after seeing the face of the person she loved in front of her, she couldn't help but fall in love with him again.

"Is something weird?" He looks at Kalya who just smiles and doesn't say anything. Kalya jumps and hugs Ziel. She buried her face in his chest.

"Nothing strange. I just fell in love with you again. Please stay with me. Don't ever leave me." She tightened her hug. Ziel didn't answer her and just stroked her beautiful and silky hair. Not long after that, she let go of her hand.

"Leya, do you like music?" Ziel suddenly asked her.

"I like it. In the Elven Kingdom, there is also a lot of music that I like. But it seems that in this human region, music is not very well-liked and not developed." Kalya gave her honest opinion.

"I understand." Ziel knelt on one leg and placed his palm on the ground. Kalya is confused about what he will do.

[Piano, Manifest!]

Plants sprouted from the ground and intertwined together, this was the same thing that happened when he made the cottage. It wasn't long before a piano was formed, a musical instrument from Ziel's previous world.

"What is this, Ziel?" Kalya asked curiously. But Ziel didn't answer her, he sat in front of the piano and started playing the tune he remembered.

Ding... Ding... Ding...

He started to play it, a beautiful melody came out from the piano he was playing. The voice echoed not only in the forest but throughout the academy area. Kalya standing beside him put her hand on his shoulder and closed her eyes enjoying the rhythm of the music that Ziel was playing. Without her realizing, the music that Ziel was playing was finished and Kalya looked dissatisfied and wanted to ask for one more song. But the sound of applause stopped her.

Plak...plak...plak...

"Hee... it turns out that you're also amazing at playing musical instruments." Princess Freya smiling stood across the lake.