20 Lost Friend

"Have you found who the attacker last night?" Akihiro asked his best guard, Dai, a trained guard who can compete against the generals and has the ability of Detection.

(Detection - the ability to detect what ability was used during a fight.)

"Speed ability user, your highness. But the attacker is still unknown," he answered.

"And the thing that happened three years ago? Still no clue?"

"Not yet, your highness."

"It seems that it is already impossible to find out what happened during the graduation competition from 3 years ago," Akihiro could only sigh.

The one who stopped Raven from losing control of his ability could no longer be found.

It's been 3 years already, even back then no one could detect what ability was used.

"Let's leave that matter for now. Just focus on the current situation of the kingdom especially on what happened last night," he finally ordered.

*****

"Oh, who brought the fruits?" Hanae asked upon arriving in the hospital room.

The three guys are there watching over the two girls.

"Eureka did. She came here this morning but left an hour later since the two of them is still asleep," Raven answered.

"I've heard she was with you last night and that she left earlier in order to attend to her duties," Itsuko said this time.

"Yes, her squad had the night shift this month," Mamoru answered.

"If I'm not mistaken, the walls surrounding the kingdom is 2 hours away. Did she come here right after returning?"

"It seems so, auntie."

Their families are close enough that they ignore the ranks whenever they are not in a formal gathering.

"She is a kind girl. To come here without resting first and she even brought us some fruits."

Mamoru and Hideyoshi nodded enthusiastically.

"Then stop eating those fruits, she brought that for us," just then Karen woke up and berated Hideyoshi who was eating.

"You're awake. How do you feel?" Itsuko asked.

"I'm fine. I felt even better knowing that Eureka visited us," she happily answered.

"She acts so indifferent but she still has this kind of side," Feena added.

"How about you Feena? How do you feel?" Hanae asked.

"Good as new," she smiled at her mother.

"We really need to return to our work and both your fathers are too busy as well. We hope you understand," Itsuko said looking at the two of them.

"Mother, it's fine were used to it. You even went out of your way to visit us today, even though you're very busy. So go on, you don't have to worry about us," Karen smiled at her.

"Well then even though you're like this we know that you will be fine. So I and your father will be going to the lands near the southern border to fix some problems," Itsuko said ruffling her daughter's hair.

"And I and your father will be going to the northern border for some business," Hanae said patting her daughter's head.

After saying their goodbyes, the two ladies left.

"Karen, Feena," Raven called them.

Looking at him were four pairs of eyes. Mamoru and Hideyoshi sensing that it is a serious matter quietly looked at him as well.

"Eureka said that after arriving, someone was already here watching you from the door."

"Who?"

"Azusa."

Shock was visible on four of their faces, Hideyoshi asked, "Azusa? You mean that Azusa?"

"Yes, I confirmed it with the staffs here."

"Will she come back," after recovering Karen asked expectantly.

"I don't know, it seems that she just stood outside watching you from the door."

"Maybe we can speak with her this time?" Feena happily asked Karen.

"Let's try that once we're out," Karen excitedly answered.

Mamoru and Hideyoshi signaled Raven to come out.

"Isn't it that Azusa distanced herself from them 10 years ago?" Mamoru curiously asked.

"Even I don't know the reason why she came. She must have heard what happened and just wanted to check on them," Raven said.

"That's right. She is still their childhood friend. But after what happened 10 years ago, I still don't understand why she distanced herself from them," Hideyoshi commented.

The other two only nodded. The guys were already friends since they were 7, they only became acquainted with the two girls 10 years ago.

*****

Time passed by in a flash, a week have passed and both Karen and Feena are released from the hospital.

"Captain!!" One of her subordinates called her.

They are currently on their shift watching those surrounding the walls.

"Miss Feena and Miss Karen will be returning tomorrow right?"

"Why are you asking me?" she indifferently answered.

"It's nothing," he finished.

Everyone actually wants to ask if Eureka will be talking to them tomorrow and if she could introduce them already. But seeing their captain's response, it is pretty obvious that she won't be meeting them.

"Anyway do you remember the girl outside their room back to when we visited?" Rei, one of her subordinates, asked.

She didn't reply nor asked anything.

"That girl is named Azusa," even without her asking he still continued his story.

"If I remember correctly she was the daughter of the hero of our kingdom, and because of her father she didn't go through the academy but instead was instantly promoted to being a knight."

"That's right. She was Leo's daughter and she was a friend of miss Feena and miss Karen," Gaku answered back.

"Hero?"

Eureka actually asked a question.

Seeing her reaction, her subordinates told her the story.

(Flashback)

10 years ago.

Leo, Akihiro, and Yukimura were childhood friends. They grew up together and practiced together. Despite Akihiro's position, they still did everything together.

Then one day came, where a gravely injured girl arrived at one of the wall gates of the kingdom, namely Chiaki. 

She had no memory.

She is kind to everyone and a cheerful girl as well. She easily befriended Mutsumi, Yukimura's wife, and Layla, Leo's wife.

Everyone became fond of her in the short period of time that she had stayed in the kingdom. Only one person didn't fully trust her and that is Leo.

"Why can't you trust her?" one time Akihiro asked as they practice together, even though he's already a king he still finds time to hang out with Yukimura and Leo.

"I don't know. I can tell that she is kind and all but somehow it feels like something's off with her especially since she can't remember anything," he answered.

"Maybe because she had fallen in love with Akihiro," Yukimura teasingly said.

"Oh please enough with that," Akihiro answered as they all sat down in the ground.

"*laughs* It's pretty obvious, the way she looks at you and her actions when your around," Yukimura continued teasing him.

They all joked around and laugh carefreely.

That is until one day.

"Your Highness, the city was under attack and the western border had been destroyed."

Generals not less than 10 attacked the kingdom with other knights. It was chaotic for it was so sudden.

As the battle goes on, they arrived at the time where it was revealed that it was Chiaki who had led the attack.

"How can you do this?" that's all Yukimura could ask.

"It's all your fault," Chiaki menacingly said while pointing at Akihiro.

"I showed you I love you but you didn't reciprocate. If you had we wouldn't be in this situation right now."

"Just because of that you attacked a kingdom?" Leo couldn't help but ask.

"No, I was tasked to conquer this place. But your stupid king does not want to finish it in a peaceful way."

"I don't understand. You have no memories," Yukimura asked.

"Of course I do. You guys are just too stupid to believe me."

What they see right now is far from the lady they were with for the past months. That kind and the cheerful person they knew seemed to have disappeared into thin air. This person in front of them is what you'd call evil.

"Why?" that's all Akihiro asked.

"Obviously to expand our territory, I am from the western kingdom, Hesperian," with that answer everyone understood. 

The west had been brewing a plan for all this time.

"I have a way to get us out of this predicament," Leo then said towards Yukimura and Akihiro.

"I feel bad about what you're going to say," Akihiro shook his head as he replied.

"I might disappear with it," Leo confirmed his feeling.

Yukimura and Akihiro tried their best to stop him, the battle going on around them.

"We have no other choice, you are far weaker than back then. I don't want to lose in this battle especially since the one causing it is someone we have befriended," Leo said, resolution visible in his eyes.

"We have no other choice, gather them in one place."

With that, Akihiro and Yukimura could only do what he said. They gathered the generals and Chiaki in one place. Slowly but surely.

Leo started running around them.

The two of them left the encirclement, Leo then runs faster and faster around the enemies.

And with his final words, "Take care of my family."

He disappeared together with their enemies.

He became the hero of the kingdom. Layla was granted the title of a Countess and Azusa became a knight at the age of 12 when her ability awaken. 

Yukimura and Akihiro, though devastated, looked after the mother and child as they had promised to their lost friend.