15 |Hunting Contest; Ruby Eyes and a Tale of Woe

Three months has passed and sooner, the hunting contest was announced. The leaves went yellow and gold and the wind feels a little colder now. It's already the end of summer and everyone is now welcomed by the cold warmth of Autumn.

For those three months, Elyse practiced hard to hone her skills in Archery. Since the hunting contest was made to celebrate and respect the Alpha of Hunting, Elyse too needs to learn how to hit the target. But it's already been a month and yet she still hasn't hit the target.

She almost lost hope while Arrow and Arbor noticed something strange. Elyse was supposed to be Aniya's Descendant — she who was praised as a genius and cunning manipulator to the rest of the Alphas.

But maybe, as her Descendant, there shouldn't be any need for her to learn what her Ancestor also learned too.

So, everyone helped her, especially Arbor. He was the one who helped her the most. Day and night they would always practice, in the forest, in the club room, and even in Arbor and Arrow's hunting ground in their mansion. While Eli would always go with them bringing snacks and having a little fight with Arrow since she always teases Eli. For the first time she stays in the Academy, she was happy. She was thankful to have people by her side.

Because of the bond, they would always share, the students who despise Aniya starts to hate Elyse more.

The life in Academy is as usual. Everyone would always stare at her with disgust but they won't dare to confront her again when they found Arrow and Arbor hanging out together with Elyse. Although she wasn't bullied in front of the two members of the Student Council, Elyse, however, was still bullied behind their backs.

Elyse coughed blood when a girl suddenly kicked her. She hit the wall hard which made her hard to breathe. This has been going on for a month now too. At first, they will just stare her, and hate her from afar. Not until she would show off her skills and to them, it's as if they are being insulted because they are not smart enough.

In this Academy, knowledge is everything. If you're not in one of the top 10 you won't be praised and your name wouldn't be heard. Such cliché events happen in every noble student. Although the Academy was built solely to nurture every student's skill, it became a living hell for the youngsters.

"You brat! You're flirting with Mister Arbor again!" The girl said who had a long-time crush on Arbor. Even though he looks unapproachable and distant, he was handsome and is good in Archery. Not only that, his Ancestor is Artemis, a close friend of Lucia. Some of the girls have a crush on Arbor while most girls like the Student Council President more because of his captivating looks.

Elyse didn't dare to utter a single word to answer her. She tightly bites her lower lips while blood spills down from her head.

"Unfair." She thought.

"Stop flirting with him! You're just a dirty little Descendant of Aniya!" Elyse laughed with her hysterical voice.

She slowly stood up, barely even supporting herself from fainting again. Since this has happened for the 4th time of getting beaten up by these childish students.

"Descendant this, Descendant that. It's annoying to hear it anymore." She spoke. The other girls were taken aback by her statement and slowly steps back away from her.

Elyse pissed off from the childish actions glares at them with her menacing stare.

"So, you all believed I am Aniya's Descendant, isn't it?"

She's done with the bullies that are going on whenever she enters the Campus every morning, eats lunch at the cafeteria, goes to the library, and so on. Although the teachers know she is Aniya's Descendant, she hasn't experienced harassment from one of the Teachers except for the Headmistress.

Instead, she felt as if she was challenged by the teachers. That's why she did her best in every aspect way that they expected. Just like Aniya, in just a month she became the second student who passed a mock exam since the Academy has strict rules for educating students. Her name was displayed below the Student Council President's name while Eli is the 3rd, Arrow and Arbor both ranked 4th and 5th and so did the other members of the Council that entered the top 20 students.

"Then I'll show you what Aniya's Descendant should be." She said and quickly cast a spell to make herself invisible. The girls were startled.

"Oh? Where did she go?" One of the girls said.

"Damn it! Maybe she escapes!" Another one of the girls exclaimed, pissed.

"Hah! Show my butt, she just escapes! Just like her Ancestor, she is just a naive and dumb bitch who seduces one of the members of the Student Council!" The girl who kicked her earlier said with a smirk carved on her face.

"Not so fast." Elyse stabs the girl blood ran through her white polo underneath the dark blue coat she's wearing.

The girl who kicked her earlier couldn't speak, as if she is being eaten away just from a glance of Elyse. Her eyes glowed gold and blue and her hair shone like the sun illuminating her monstrous aura.

She put the knife away from her body and went out of her illusion magic.

The girl couldn't speak and was trembling in fear. It was as if she just saw death right before her very eyes.

"Girl! Are you okay?" The girl who was beside her asked when her knees went weak, stumbled from the frightful illusion Elyse just made.

"You! What did you do?" The other one asked Elyse.

"I am not skillful in Archery or any other physical strength but I am skillful in Magic, bitches." Elyse said, still with her menacing glare.

"You all told me I am like Aniya. Since all of you are acting Almighty, I would just say, 'Your wish is my command.'" Elyse said while she chuckles. Mocking on their childish acts.

After that, Elyse went out from the rooftop and went to the garden. The lunch is over and it's already past the time for her Archery classes. She sighs and stays sat beneath the legendary tree where it is said that this tree was planted by Lucia and Hiro.

It is the same tree when Hezelle decided to build this garden for Lucia. Hezelle transferred all the plants Lucia would always enjoy, especially this huge and magnificent tree which would always cover the whole little garden Hezelle made.

Hiro and Lucia, there's not much information about the two but it was said that Lucia and Hiro were both childhood friends. But because of Aniya again, Hiro was killed.

She should feel guilty to see this tree since Aniya killed him. But strange enough, she felt more at peace rather than feeling stressed and pressured. As if she found another home.

She starts to heal herself when suddenly, a shard of memory entered her mind.

"Hiro!" She blinked twice until the memory fade away. It was a memory from Lucia. The young Lucia who was running and smiling suddenly called Hiro with her sweet lingering voice.

"What was that?" She asked herself. The very reason why she couldn't accept that she was Aniya's Descendant. She theorized she might be also Lucia's Descendant since she hasn't heard about Lucia's Descendant. Although she might be born, there's also a chance she couldn't inherit her memories that's why Elyse had one.

"Elyse?" Arbor approached from her behind. Startled, she looks at him.

"Where the hell you've been?" Arbor asked and Elyse just shrugged with her smile.

"Oh, I Uhm. I got lost I guess?" Arbor sighed, "You're a good liar indeed." He said which made Elyse laugh. Arbor sat down beside her.

"What was that?" Arbor laughed too which made Elyse stunned. "Arbor you..." Elyse stares at him with her surprised face.

"Oh right." He quickly turned to be cold and distant aura thing which made Elyse feel disappointed.

"You're really on your guard huh," Elyse commented.

"You shall never fall in love with me." Said Arbor with his head held high.

"And Mister, did you eat air today? Because you're too high to expect I would also fall in love with you." She replied which made Arbor feel strange in his chest. But he shrugs it off.

Elyse said was true. There's no way she would fall in love with Arbor who is strong and admirable. Elyse is just another stranger in his life, she shouldn't expect these things would also be hers one day. After all, she hasn't forgotten the reason why she was invited into the Academy.

Arbor laughed and patted her head, "Let's practice today. Tomorrow will be the Hunting Contest. You should defeat us, Elyse." Arbor stood up and offered his hand to her. Reaching it out.

Elyse was stunned by his charming face when he carved a little smile on his face. His gentle gaze looked towards Elyse and his hair gently swaying with the wind.

"Ah, it's cold," Elyse said and it made her shiver.

"Haha! That's why we need to enter the school grounds now." Arbor said.

"Oh no, it's fine. I can just use a spell to heat me." She said and used a spell that made Arbor feel fascinated.

"Wait, you know magic?"

"Is it that so surprising?" Elyse said.

"No, I mean I am not good at magic. But if you're good at it, why stayed at the Archery club?" Arbor asked out of curiosity.

"Beats me, ask the Headmistress." She shrugs and gives Arbor a spell to protect him from the cold.

It's still autumn but it's already cold." Elyse commented.

"Yeah," Arbor answered and both of them entered the club room.

****

[Day of Hunting Contest]

The cold wind of the Autumn breeze sways Elyse's hair which made her shiver in cold again. She forgot to put on a heating spell to protect her from the cold since she's sensitive to it.

"Why do I always forget," Elyse whispered, sighing as she puts the spell into her body.

"Sister! Don't forget to put protect yourself from the cold!" She remembered her little brother's words and secretly smiles.

"I will, brother." She whispered and gazes up at the gloomy sky. "Wait for big sis, I will save you." The wind blew again and this time, Elyse is not shivering anymore.

"Is everything ready?" Arrow asked Arbor after she put a box in the carriage.

"Yep," Arbor answered and Arrow nodded. She noticed Arrow's biceps in her arms and was amazed by her.

"You have a masculine body!" Elyse exclaimed with her eyes shining with excitement.

Arrow laughed. "Yeah! Since huntresses need to have a masculine body, why can't women have one, right?" Arrow winked at Elyse but she was occupied by her biceps so Arrow starts showing off her arms.

"Wow! I wish I could have one too!" Elyse exclaimed when suddenly Arbor covered her eyes. "Sister you're dirty." Arbor approached Arrow which made her pissed.

"Ha?! What did you say?!" Arrow raised her voice which made Eli startled.

"Now, now, calm down Arrow —" Eli said trying to calm Arrow down.

"Why would I?! Are you trying to pick a fight, Arbor?!" Arrow raises her voice once more but Arbor only stares at her with his calm expression.

Suddenly a tall and handsome young man with a seductive aura appears right in front of them.

"Yo!" The handsome young man said and Elyse turned to look at him and their eyes met.

He went frozen from his spot when his red eyes met with the familiar brown eyes of Elyse. He felt a pang of pain in his chest.

'Aniya...'

Elyse on the other side felt also strange. She stares at the seductive red eyes and perfectly curved jawline of his face, his black hair swaying with the wind in the cold weather of Autumn. His cherry lips were left in awe as the young man only stares at Elyse with such longing eyes.

Elyse on the other hand couldn't figure out what was happening to her heart. Her heart was beating fast, but it also felt something so strange. As if they have met somewhere else in the past.

"Oh! Chad!" Eli quickly rushes toward Chad patting his shoulders. "Would you please help me calm down this energetic Arrow?" She said with her menacing glare, she's about to lose her patience because of these two twins.

"Haha, of course! Hi there, Arrow and Arbor ~" The young man named Chad interrupted their fight and is now trying to calm Arrow.

"Ha. Goodness, this contest will be the year I promise to not participate anymore." Eli said, going beside Elyse's side and trying to talk.

"Seriously! That old man couldn't just accept that I don't want to participate! There's no light in the hunting grounds —" She couldn't hear Eli's words any longer as she kept on staring at Chad behind his back, watching him calm down Arrow until they only talked.

She witnessed his laugh which made her heart feel strange again and his smile. Everything.

"Aniya."

"Elyse?" Eli made her go back to the present.

"Y-yeah?" She turns to look at Eli.

Eli just smiled.

"Well, of course, it has been a while since you last saw him." Elyse blinked with confusion.

"What?" Eli shrugged her shoulders.

"My, what a complicated couple you two have been," Eli whispered but it was enough for Elyse to hear.

'What couple does she mean?'

"Hey, we're all set! Let's go now!" Eli raises her voice and everyone went to the hunting grounds.

As they went inside the hunting arena, she saw millions of people gathering in the whole arena. Some students of the Academy were there, even nobles and teachers of the Academy. And as well as the Student Council President who was sitting beside the 4 Leaders of the Empire.

The crowds were wild and cheering, it was very loud which made Elyse feel overwhelmed.

"It's okay," Chad whispered behind her ear while holding her hands with his flirtatious tone. Elyse quickly backs away from him but Chad only smiled at her.

"I haven't got a chance to introduce myself —" He then bows down his head and said, "Greetings, Aniya's Descendant. I am Thaddeus. You can call me Chad, and yes you heard it right. It is also the very name of my Ancestor, Chad. The Messenger Alpha." He said and his red eyes shone brightly like rubies.

Elyse blushed at his seductive introduction when he kissed the back of her palm after he told her his name.

"Stop flirting, Chad. The Student Council President is here." Eli interrupted them and he cleared his throat.

"Pardon for my rude attitude just now, My Lady." Elyse's face turned red once more. Truly, he is indeed Chad's Descendant.

With the flirtatious and mischievous smile and aura that he gives, he is Chad's Descendant. In the legend, there was no such information about him also but he too was killed by Lucia.

"Greetings, Descendant of the Almighty Aniya." A sweet and calm voice echoed from her behind. Elyse turned around to see it is Lucia's Descendant. Elyse feels astonished by Luna's greeting, making her feel a little bit uncomfortable.

'What?'