The Tower's Magician...or not?

"It is an honor to meet the Imperial Family," Currently, we are at the Tower of Magic. Orpheus has asked the Magic Tower if we can visit them, and the Magician agreed to it. Turns out the reason why he's called 'The Magician of the Tower' is because he's the only magician here that takes care of the tower. 

This tower had a spiral stairs right after you enter it, with lots of tables in the middle, making a circle shape. On top of those tables are books with different magic circles. There's also a huge glowing crystal in the middle of those tables. It looks beautiful that I couldn't take my eyes off it earlier. Also, there's a lot of bookshelves attached on the wall. Books about magics are probably there. I wonder if I can borrow it?

And I wonder why those things are down there? What if someone breaks in and steal all those? Plus, that crystal looks expensive. Selling it would give you lots of money. 

It's been three days since Kafziel and I saw that boy. Ziel said that he had a glimpse of someone behind the curtain of the balcony's glass door, so he threw a block towards it. He made sure he won't hit the door, since it's a glass and could break. 

Anyway...

This magician here is most definitely not the one who trespassed the Alphard Palace. Though he looks exactly like him...but---this magician is a grown up! I said 'Blonde-haired boy' my brothers! This person in front of us is not a 'boy' but a 'man'! Plus, his hair isn't that long, the boy's hair was longer, and it reaches his waist. Mister Magician here has a shorter hair than the boy we saw. I think his reaches only his shoulder blades. 

"Wait...but he can probably change his appearance,"

I fold my left arm in front of me and lean my right elbow on the back of my left hand as I clip my chin with my thumb and index finger.

Magicians can do anything after all, so he can change his appearance into anything, right? He can even turn into dragon?! Why do they need to have long hairs though? 

"Who are you referring to, Ali?" I cocked a brow as I turn my head to Aelius. What is he talking about?

"Who can change appearance?" Diellzain asked. I creased my forehead as I tilt my head. What does he mean by that? No, why is he asking me that? Dod they read my mind?

"You mumbled something about changing appearance," He added. Wait, I actually said that out loud?!

"Oh well, it's just...the reason why we're here is to thank the one who saved me, right? But, Mister Magician here looks different. However, he looks like exactly like him, oh and his eye color too. The boy's eyes were red," Oh shit---

I forgot I haven't told them about the day when I jumped off the balcony just to catch up to the boy! Dang it...I got carried away!

"Oh, you remember his face now?" Helios asked. I gulped and smiled at him as I nod my head repeatedly. 

"Yup! I don't know why, but the memories of when I drowned...it appears in my dream like a flashback last night, and then I saw the boy's face clearly..." I'm really amazing in making stories. That didn't even happen. I'm going to be a great adlib actress if I didn't die in my previous world. 

Regrets!

"Hmm, that's kinda amazing..." Diellzain mumbled. I looked at the magician in front of us. He's like a grown-up version of the boy we saw from the woods that day. Are they the same person? 

The magician smiled at me. Wow, he's really handsome...can I marry this guy? I'm already 18 despite being in a small body after all.

"I think I already have an idea who the Princess is talking about," Hmm? He have an idea? Wait, that sounded as if he's telling me that the one who saved me isn't him but someone else. 

"Abel. Are you saying it wasn't you but a different person?" Orpheus asked. His eyes even narrowed down to the magician. The magician lower down his head, but he's not taking his smile off. 

"That's right, Your Majesty. However, there is no need to worry about it. As the one who saved the Princess is my twin brother, Asher," Asher? His twin brother...

Eh? Huh? Twin? They are twins...? This grown up magician in front of me and that little boy who looks shorter than Ziel are twins?!

It doesn't make sense!

Oh, calm down. Calm down, Clara. Like you said earlier, he's a magician and he can probably change his appearance. That's right, he can change appearances.

"Hmm, one of the Astra's then?" Huh? Now what the heck is Astra? This is the first time I've heard of it!

Dang it, I can't keep up with everything now! What's happening to my surroundings are not even mentioned in the book even once. Maybe it's because the story hasn't started yet officially, and that's the reason why everything is unfamiliar to me. Still...

I prevented myself from sighing. 

I need to stay strong. Stay strong, Clara.

--

I blinked for a couple of times as I look at the boy in front of us. He's got a blonde long hair that reaches his waist and a deep red eye, with yellow eyelashes. Dang it, this boy is gorgeous. But why is he looking at us with those uninterested eyes? He looks really mean too. What the heck is his problem?

"It's an honor to meet you, Astra's Asher," Seriously, what is an Astra? 

Uhh, I need to rack my brain again just to recall if that word was mentioned in the book. But I know it wasn't! Dang it, everything doesn't make any sense right now. What exactly is happening?

"Hmm yeah, an honor to finally meet the current emperor as well, I guess?" I creased my forehead as I stare at him. Why is he speaking like that to the Emperor? Even his brother respects this Orpheus?

"Watch your words, Kid," Diellzain just called someone 'kid', when he's one of the kids here right now. 

"Are you not a kid, Your Highness? In all honesty, I am older than you," The boy smirked at Diellzain with that smug expression on his face. What the heck is with that attitude?! But wait, his voice does sounds familiar and the way he talk too. 

Yep. He's definitely the one who saved Alina from drowning.

"Huh?" Diellzain tilt his head as he glare to the boy in front of us. 

Right now, we are at the audience chamber where the Emperor receives his guests. Actually, right after Sir Abel mentioned about his twin brother, Orpheus asked him to send this Asher to his palace, in order to talk to him. At first, Diellzain was suspicious of him, but Helios said that it really is possible for him to go in and out of the barrier, since he's one of the Astra's Three. I'm confused though...what's so great about the Astra's Three? By the sounds of it, they're like a team of scary people who can do anything. Even Orpheus couldn't break the barrier, and these three here had a hard time breaking it. But that boy just go in and out without even having a hard time?

No, just how powerful was the Empress' barrier that even the Emperor couldn't break it?

"Introduce yourself," Helios spoke. His voice sounded so cold and serious. I know they're all annoyed because of the way this guy speak. Even I am a bit bothered by it. 

"Do I really need to? You already know me though?" I feel like my head is starting to hurt just by listening with this boy's words. He's even crossing his arms with that bored expression. Bruh didn't even greet the Emperor and the Princes! Wow, how brave! Though I don't really care about it, but the way he speak and the tone of his voice is irritating!

"Haha, what an attitude," Aelius chuckled. I looked at him and he's still smiling...? Though his eyes are definitely glowing right now. He's mad. 

I turned to Diellzain and glanced at Helios. Their eyes are glowing too...

As if you can fight against that guy who seems really powerful! 

"Well, you just wanted to know who saved your Princess, right? Right, I did. And?" I closed my eyes and take a deep breath before exhaling calmly. 

Stay strong, stay strong, self. You've got another person with a nasty personality. 

"Greetings! You seem like a big deal of a person!" I spoke. I noticed from my peripheral vision how Alina's brothers turn their heads to me as if they were surprised about what I just said. 

"At least the Princess knows," He's annoying, isn't he? I forced myself to keep smiling. 

But, this guy really is annoying, isn't he? The way he looks at us shows his superior complex!

"And arrogant at that," I added. Gritting my teeth as I narrow down my eyes towards him. He furrowed his brows and stared back at me. But, dang that really made me angry! What's with him? We just want to thank him though?

"What?" He asked. 

I lowered down my head as I close my eyes tight, trying to calm myself down. I feel like my heart is going to explode out of my chest because of how fast it's beating right now. I feel very very annoyed too! Am I actually mad at this boy? Wow, the very first time that someone had made me angry. 

I took a deep breath again before opening my eyes and stare down at him. 

"You are strong, indeed. For that, I thank you for saving this little princess. But is that enough reason to talk that way to my family when we only want to show gratitude towards your hmm...was saving me out of kindness?" I can't help myself to say those words. And it also seems like he wasn't expecting I would say those words. 

Or is there any other reasons why he look so shocked? No, not just shocked, he looks amused as well.

"Heh..." He scoffed as he lower down his head. 

He place his right hand on his left chest and hid his left arm behind him. What? Now, he's bowing? Is that all it takes for him to be well-mannered?

"I apologize for the rudeness just now, Your Highness. I didn't wish to anger the Princess and her family. I only saved the Princess all because I was asked to take care and watch over her by the late Empress. This Asher Astra is ready to receive any punishment that Your Majesty will--"

"Did you say that my wife told you to take care of our daughter?" Yes, he did, didn't he? But the Empress has been long dead? Is he lying?

And now he used 'Astra' as his surname? So it's just their surname?

"That's correct, Your Majesty. The truth is I was the one who put the barrier around the Antares Palace as per Her Majesty's request," Eh? So, that's why Orpheus couldn't break it?! Now it makes sense why he's the only one who can enter and leave the barrier freely. I mean, the chosen servants can also pass through the barrier whenever they want, but it's probably because they were uhm...maybe exemptions?

"Hmm, that's why I couldn't break it, huh?" Orpheus mumbled. I'm sure this arrogant kid felt proud that even the Emperor can't break through his barrier. That also confirmed that he's really powerful!

"And we had to spend three days before we can break that thing, tsk," Diellzain added, clicking his tongue. 

"Then, I shall respect my wife's request. Stay by my daughter's side and watch over her," Now he became my bodyguard?

The guy named Asher stayed quiet. I can even see how his jaw clicked as if he just gritted his teeth. I'm pretty sure he didn't want to babysit this princess. 

"As you wish, Your Majesty..."

Wow, sounds really forced, buddy. 

***