CASTLE

The wind blew on the face of a woman who was leaning her head next to the car window, her hazel eyes reading every word in the book she was holding using her right hand.

Her crystal clear eyes moved to read a sentence that she thought was very interesting so sometimes it makes her eyebrows wrinkle. She completely ignored the commotion created by her friends who were in the same car as her.

She is in her own world.

"What are you reading? Gosh, Keira... you're reading that vampire book again! Don't you feel bored?" said the woman sitting beside her.

Keira Petals, that's the name of a beautiful woman with hazel eyes who along the way spends her time reading a book she bought a week ago.

Keira turned. "No, I never feel bored at all. It's very interesting!" said Keira picking up her book and returning to read her book.

"Tsk, come on... what's so interesting about that book?" said the woman.

Keira turned her book to the next page. "Very... very interesting. And you won't understand, Della," said Keira without taking her eyes off the book.

Della Warren is usually called Della. That's the name of the woman sitting beside Keira at the moment, and she's been Keira's best friend since they were little. Yes, their friendship has been established for a very long time until they are already in college.

And because of that, Della knows all the things Keira likes and her best friend is very interested in a mysterious creature called a vampire.

That's right, you didn't hear wrong this time. She even thought that her best friend was very obsessed with this mysterious blood-sucking creature. And you see the evidence right now...

Keira had spent an hour reading a book that discussed those blood-sucking creatures. Which according to Della is very boring and not interesting at all. There are still so many books that discuss things that are far more interesting but her best friend instead chooses to be crazy about those blood-sucking creatures.

Della sighed, then rested her head on Keir's shoulder. "Huh... whatever," Della said then closed her eyes.

Meanwhile, Keira didn't bother and went back to reading her book. While occasionally smiling because she read the sentences in her book which was very entertaining for her.

...

"All right, we've arrived!"

Hearing the middle-aged man's voice, they all immediately got out of their cars. Including Keira and Della, they stood side by side with Della's right hand embracing Keira's shoulder.

They both looked around them. Finally, after two hours of travel, they arrived at their destination, which was quite far from their university.

"Since everyone has gathered, let's go inside," said the middle-aged man with glasses. Which was the lecturer in charge of their trip this time.

Keira and Della walked with their friends, following their lecturer who walked in front of them. Occasionally Keira and Della talked and laughed with their other friends. Even though Keira and Della are best friends, that doesn't mean they aren't close with their other friends.

Keira looked around her, she saw towering trees that were probably tens of years old. She also heard the sound of birds chirping, which sounds like they were communicating with other birds.

After ten minutes of walking, they finally stopped in their tracks, right in front of a castle-shaped building that might have been hundreds of years old. You can see from several parts of the castle that it looks damaged and peeling off.

"So... this is where we are going?" said Della folding her arms in front of her chest, as if she was judging that castle.

Keira shrugged her shoulders. "Seems so..." said Keira casually.

The middle-aged man with glasses looked back, he looked at his twenty students who were currently waiting for an explanation from him. It can be seen from the faces of those who are already curious and can't wait to find out about this castle.

"All right, this is the castle I told you about before. Now let's go inside and I hope you don't take any photos or even touch anything. Do you understand?!" said their lecturer giving some warning.

"Understand sir!" they all said at the same time.

The castle door opened, and they all walked inside. At that time they immediately saw the contents of the castle which was so amazing with typical royal ornaments that were so detailed. Chandeliers that still use candles hang above the ceiling of the castle, everything looks so well-maintained. Although the age of the castle is very old.

"Doesn't this look scary?" whispered Della to Keira.

Keira turned. "Scary? Not at all," said Keira disagreeing with her best friend.

Della rolled her eyes. "Tsk, I shouldn't have asked you," said Della, which made Keira chuckle.

Still in the same place, Kiera and Della along with the others walked through the castle. Seeing how amazing the castle was succeeded in making them amazed.

"This castle is called Xerxes Castle, which was built in the 19th century. The name Xerxes itself is taken from the name of the king. In addition, Xerxes was the most powerful kingdom of its time, also having a government that was quite advanced at that time. Xerxes also succeeded in defeating several kingdoms that tried to destroy them at that time," their lecturer turned back. "But behind the strong kingdom of Xerxes, this kingdom is famous for its very cruel king."

Keira and Della wrote down everything their lecturer said about this castle, which turned out to be much older than they first thought.

"Okay, so far does anyone have anything to ask?" said their lecturer, ready to listen to questions from their students.

After a while, one of the students raised their hand. "Me sir!"

"Oh, sure. What do you want to ask?"

"Are there vampires in this castle?" asked the man in the blue hoodie. The sound of laughter immediately could be heard by the others including Della who also laughed.

Their lecturer who was smiling immediately sighed, seeing the behavior of his students who were so dizzying. "Sshh! Everyone be quiet!"

The sound of laughter that had echoed in the old castle immediately disappeared, after hearing a reprimand from their lecturer. While her friends are being scolded, Keira walked away from them.

She looked around her with her eyes full of admiration. She likes this... she likes anything about the empire because the empire is very interesting to her. But suddenly she stopped her steps, with her eyes staring at something from behind the rope.

"W-what is this?" stuttered Keira.