Chapter 116 - 18

The next morning after the incident by the foreign golem, Academy students continue to carry out their study tours according to schedule. They would be taken to the place where magic tools were created in the Dwarven Kingdom.

Hikaru was currently in a low-spirited state due to yesterday's incidents. He truly felt powerless against those golems. When he was walking in the corridor, he saw Princess Freya walking alone while contemplating. Her mind was not with her right now.

"Freya...Freya..." Hikaru tried calling her a few times but Princess Freya still didn't respond. Finally, Hikaru patted Princess Freya's shoulder which made her startled.

"Uh, sir Hikaru. What's wrong?" Princess Freya just realized Hikaru's presence.

"Nothing. I saw you walking brooding in the corridor. I called you several times but no response at all. So I had to pat you on the shoulder to wake you up." Hikaru told her about what happened earlier.

"Thank you, sir Hikaru. But in the future, you better not touch a girl carelessly." Princess Freya said nonchalantly to him. She bowed her head and walked away leaving Hikaru frozen at her words.

Hikaru who was left alone in the corridor couldn't help but smile bitterly. Suddenly someone called him from behind.

"Hikaru? What are you doing standing alone in the corridor? You're blocking other people's paths." Sintaro approached him with Kyouka and Megumi.

"I was talking to Princess Freya but she went first to where the academy students gathered." Hikaru explained the reason he was standing there.

"Did something happen?" Megumi asked him. She felt that something was wrong with Hikaru's words.

"Ah, it's actually like this..." Hikaru told what happened between him and Princess Freya earlier.

"Ahaha... Maybe she's having a lot of trouble. You don't have to think about that." Sintaro tried to calm him down.

"Hmm... Maybe in this world, a woman can't be carelessly touched by a man. Let alone an unmarried girl." Kyouka said her reasonable opinion.

"I agree with Kyouka's words. You better be more careful in the future." Megumi nodded in agreement with Kyouka's words.

"I understand." Hikaru smiled bitterly and couldn't help but accept his carelessness.

"Alright, we'd better go to where the students are gathering. Otherwise, we'll be late." Kyouka reminded them. After all, it's time to go on the next study tour.

"Let's go!" Megumi answered cheerfully. The other heroes couldn't help but smile at her behavior.

***

At the place where the students gathered, Princess Freya was still lost in thought about what she and the other three had talked about last night. When she heard that Kalya was a Princess from the Elven Kingdom, she understood what she meant by throwing everything away for the one she loved. Even though she had lost all of that before meeting Ziel. But right now she didn't care about all that and would rather be with him.

Kalya could proudly stand beside her without her title as a princess. Currently, Princess Freya feels inferior in front of her.

"No...I won't give up! If she can, then I can do the same! I will take big steps to develop my relationship with him. I won't lose to her!" Princess Freya clenched her fists tightly. Her eyes are full of determination to fight with Kalya. Suddenly she woke up because someone tapped her shoulder again.

"Princess Freya." Princess Iris appeared behind her along with Clara and Lilith.

Princess Freya was angry and wanted to scream at the person who tapped her on the shoulder. She had been shocked twice today in the same way. But when she saw that it was Princess Iris, she swallowed back his words. Since returning together from the town square to the castle, their relationship has become closer. Princess Freya felt that she had the same interest as Princess Iris. For some reason, she felt more compatible with her than with Princess Aishia.

"Ah, what's wrong Princess Iris? Sorry, I was thinking about something." Princess Freya smiled wryly at her.

"Did you think about last night?" Princess Iris also felt the same way about her. The difference is that Princess Iris still hasn't realized her feelings right now.

Princess Freya answered her with a small nod. She was amazed by the sharp feeling of Princess Iris.

"Freya, what are you doing there? We're leaving in a minute." Prince Fritz called out to her from where he and the other Princesses had gathered. There was also Princess Aishia who looked at her indifferently.

"Brother, I'll be here with them. You can sit with the others." Princess Freya smiled sweetly and looked at Princess Aishia. She already realized something from Kalya. If she can't try to leave what she has now, maybe in the future she won't be able to be with Ziel.

Princess Aishia was taken aback by her smile. Then she quickly averted her gaze. For some reason seeing her smile made her chest hurt. It wasn't long before a group of heroes came and joined their group.

"Is it okay if you come with us?" Princess Iris asked her. She was quite surprised by her decision to go with them.

"Of course. Is there a problem if I'm with you?" Princess Freya looked at Clara and the others who doubted what she had done.

"Of course there's no problem. It's just that this is a little surprising for us." Clara answered nervously. She still wasn't used to talking to her.

"Okay, then let's get into the magic car. Looks like we'll be leaving soon." Princess Freya reminded Clara and the others who were still chatting outside when the students had started to get into the magic car.

"Come on, I think it's about time." Princess Iris nodded and walked into the magic car along with Princess Freya and the other girls.

***

The place they were going to at this time was quite far away if they had to walk. It was located on the outskirts of the city and was called the Magic Tools Hall. Around the place, there is a very wide and beautiful flower garden.

In the middle of the vast garden was a small, plain white tower. The tower didn't look as grand as the castle of the Dwarven Kingdom or the tower of the academy, but its modern classic design makes it no less than the two towers.

"Wow! The flower garden is very wide and beautiful. There are so many flowers that I have never even seen!"

"Is that where we're going to do our next study tour?"

The students were amazed after getting out of the magic car. They started to look at their surroundings and were transfixed by the vast flower garden that was in front of their eyes. They were currently accompanied by the teachers and Merlick. King Gustave remained in the castle along with King Auva because they had something to discuss.

"Alright everyone, I will be your guide now because it's my turn. After all, my brother has other business in the kingdom so he can't come with us." Princess Melkia stood in front of the students as the study tour guide. Now she has to accompany the students in these activities.

"All of you must follow me because not everyone can enter that place. The area in the tower that we can go to is limited. So I ask for your understanding!" Princess Melkia bowed slightly to the students. This made the students a little awkward to see a Princess do that.

"You don't have to think about it, Princess Melkia. We understand. You can start this study tour." Princess Rinne smiled in response. She was the most excited person at the moment.

"Hehe...well let's go inside, looks like someone is impatient." Princess Melkia walked towards the door which was the only way into the tower. Unlike the place they had visited yesterday, this tower had no other entrance. The soldiers standing guard at the entrance saluted him. Princess Melkia only gave them a small nod. Before going inside, she taped a card to the door, then the door slowly opened by itself.

"Let's go inside! Princess Melkia signaled the students to follow her.

In the corridor of the tower, Hikaru who was walking along with the Princesses and Princes looked around curiously. Hikaru could only see a white wall as far as the eye could see.

"What do you see?" Sintaro asked from next to him.

"Ah, I'm just curious about this place. It feels very calm in here, doesn't it?" Hikaru asked Kyouka as well as Megumi behind him.

"You're right, maybe because of the all-white room or the vast flower garden that surrounds the tower. I'm sure all of that affects our mentality." Kyouka said what she felt after arriving at the place.

"Then, we should go around to see the vast flower garden after our activities are done!" Megumi excitedly gave them an idea.

"That's a good idea. Then I should invite someone too." Sintaro folded his arms and nodded. He looked at the Princesses who were walking not far behind them.

"Eh? Where did Princess Freya go?" Sintaro just realized that Princess Freya is not in their group.

"She's with Princess Iris." Princess Reina pointed at the group behind them. There were Princess Freya, Princess Iris, Clara, and Lilith.

"Did something happen?" Kyouka asked Prince Fritz. He was his older brother, so Kyouka thought that he knew better about her. Unusually, Princess Freya isn't with them.

"I don't know. It's just that she's been acting weird lately. Maybe she's got something on her mind." Prince Fritz shrugged his shoulders. He didn't care as long as Princess Freya didn't do anything dangerous.

"How about we invite them too? Wouldn't that be more fun?" Sintaro gives his suggestion to Hikaru and the others.

"I agree with your idea. How about you guys?" Hikaru asked Kyouka and Megumi. The two of them both sighed after hearing their idea.

"Whatever!" Kyouka replied like she didn't care what they were going to do.

Not long after, they arrived at a room whose three sides were dark glass, while the fourth wall was the place where there was a door they used to enter the room. When Princess Melkia activated the mechanism in the room, the glass slowly revealed the people who were creating magic tools.

"For now we can only see the creation of magic tools through this glass. This is one-way glass, we can see outside while they can't see us. This is done to maintain their concentration on magic tool creation. After they are done, we'll go into that room and learn from one of the magic tools creators in this tower." Princess Melkia explained the reason. They came just at a time when the magic tool makers were busy.

"We got it!" The students answered in unison. When they heard Princess Melkia's explanation, only one person was too focused on the scene in front of her. That person is Princess Rinne. She looked at them without even batting an eye. Some of the students who saw it chuckled, but they didn't dare to show it.

Even though Princess Rinne can be said to be a magic tool genius in the human region. But she still has a lot to learn. Especially from a kingdom that focused on developing blacksmithing and creating magic tools like the Dwarven Kingdom.

Time passed… Finally, the creation of the magic tools they saw had been finished. They saw all kinds of magic tools being made there. Starting from magic tools in the form of accessories, weapons, and other objects. The process for each type is different.

"Okay, we will go into the room. I ask that you remain calm and quiet so as not to disturb others." Princess Melkia warned them. The students nodded and started to follow Princess Melkia into the room.

The room was full of magic tools. Starting from half-finished, finished, and failed to create. Princess Melkia met a Dwarf with black hair. He has sharp eyes that make him look fierce. When the students approached that person, from behind them someone walked ahead.

"Long time no see, brother.." Regza greeted the black-haired dwarf.