How Long Must I Stay?

Hiro woke up the next morning feeling a presence that has a nostalgia within it.

He didn't open his eyes and knew that Astra was standing by the window and knew that she was expanding her presence.

This presence only the Superiors would feel but what made him decide not to disturb her was the nostalgia included in this. She maybe harsh in her words at times.

She may act roughly once she gets mad but she was the one who cares for all the superiors the most.

When one comes down and was calling for them to return, it was always her who comes first and answer their call. The one who felt the fourteenth presence slowly disappearing was her as well.

She who loves staying by the garden or her room would always be the first one to respond.

(Flashback)

"Let's send her," Silvia then said.

A meeting was held to know who they should send but obviously in this meeting Astra was not present.

"Why her?" Asuna, who has the king, asked.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed?" Silvia answered.

And all of them fell silent, Astra who loves staying away from the pool had been looking at it from time to time, even spending some tea time near it.

"It is best to send her and if something has indeed happened to the fourteenth then she is the most capable one to take him down."

(End Of Flashback)

'That's right, that's how it was decided. It's just so happens that it was I and Kiryu, who had to push her down here,' was his thought as he kept waiting.

Expanding their presence was nothing to them but the amount of time she does expand her presence made Hiro feel sad.

'She must have missed him a lot, they were of the same age and he loves spending his time with her. His presence must have grown a lot in her.'

As he thought of this things, the nostalgia within the presence she had been expanding entered his heart as well.

All of them were worried about the troublesome fourteenth after all. No one, not a single person in the land would ever understand the loneliness that the Superiors felt as well.

The people of the land, aspired them because of their strength but in this strength comes a great sense of loneliness.

There were times they would make friends with the people of the land and would spend a year or two, sometimes it would even reach five but once it reached that time.

They had to leave for their appearances never changed. That is the loneliness they have to bear while being the watchers of the land.

That these people had to leave earlier than them and if they were reincarnated, they no longer hold the memory of them. They would be left with that fond memory to think back on their own.

The loneliness of having such long life and that is why each of them are precious to one another. Especially so with the fourteenth who had a very bright personality.

Hiro sighed for after an hour, Astra was still expanding her presence.

He finally opened his eyes and sat up, noticing a blanket was already on him.

He slept not minding having the blanket but it seens that she still put one on him.

Astra feeling that his finally awake, turned around and stopped expanding her presence.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, her stomach growled.

"What was that?" Hiro asked, teasing her.

Astra's eyes turned sharp to which Hiro raised his hand and laughed. When he checked the time, it was already lunch time.

"Have you not cooked?" he asked looking at her in shock.

"I don't know how to cook," was her reply.

It was so straightforward that he didn't whether to laugh or not.

"How did you eat for the past days?" he asked as he stood up.

"Buy."

He could no longer hold it in as he started laughing before going to the kitchen.

They had completely forgotten about this, that Astra was the one who never tried cooking in the mansion.

"Very well, allow me to cook for our princess," was his words as he rammaged in her kitchen.

Astra once again looked out of the window.

"Hiro."

"Hmmm?"

"Why... can't I find him?"

His chopping stopped when she asked him that question and he could hear the loneliness in her voice.

Among them these two were the closest and he heard that even their predecessors were the same.

Hiro took a deep breath, "You will surely find him, just give it time."

Astra placed her hand on the glass, "I have expanded my presence for almost the whole of Diamond Land but nothings comes."

"Well, you have been here for only about a half a month. You do know that with all these people, this one wouldn't be an easy task."

He heard her sigh as he no longer speak up as well.

As they finally eat, Astra placed a card in front of him, "Buy me some books."

"Books?"

"All about the current distinction of abilities in this land," was her answer as she eat another mouthful.

"You really are serious about the academy?" he asked as he kept the card.

"I want to try, his presence were no longer felt. If he met with an accident. That means that just trying once wouldn't be enough," was her answer.

Hiro nodded, "Very well, as I train you in controlling your power. I'll try and search for him as well."

Astra may be worried and all but she really hated the crowd, without any particular or special reason, she just hated the crowd.

She nodded at his suggestion and the two of them continued eating silently.

"By the way, how long must I stay?" he asked upon remembering this.

Astra just looked at him without saying anything.

Hiro once again sighed, "I understand. I'll stay until you truly adapted to this place. Or maybe until we did find him."