Chapter 23: A Lecture From Professor Greg

We have been walking for hours now and I will say this...

"I'm exhausted." Everyone looked at me and I felt embarrassed after seeing their faces. Full of sweat! And they were also breathing heavily. "But if you still want to, l-let's keep going!" I said and waived both my hands in front of them and then scratched my nape awkwardly.

Inabikari walked closer to me and said.

"Wait a sec." He said and faced his palm in front of him. Then, some branches on the ground started to float and went towards him. After that, it started to form into something... A carriage~ an open carriage, no roofs. He also used his power to make wheels. Cool!

When done, he motioned all of us girls to sit there. "I'll pull the carriage for you girls. While we boys, will keep on walking." He said, and that made me feel thankful and guilty at the moment.

"Thank you Inabikari~" Guinevere said, totally weary.

"Just call me Kari." He said while smiling before we sat on the carriage and started to walk again.

"This is so awesome~ I also feel tired to be honest." Guinevere said again and lay her head on my shoulder. She was sitting on my right. Rose and Mye on the other side of the seat, facing us.

"The moon is so beautiful, isn't it?" I said and looked up.

"Precisely~ I just hope that when we arrive. Everything is just fine." Mye said and also looked up. I can feel her sadness by just looking her in the eyes.

We walked for about an hour more, I think? Until...

"Oh look we're here!" Rose said making me open my eyes. Guess I felt asleep along our journey today.

"And it looks like everything is just as fine~" Mye said with her smooth and happy tone of voice.

"I'm glad that we're back~" Guinevere yawned.

We stopped halfway at the gate before walking in. The boys sorrounding us.

"They're back! Everyone! Team Alpha is back!" Shouted one of our schoolmate.

"Call the professors! Call Dean Jean! This is a miracle!" Another said, and we just waived our hands tiredly at them.

"I'm glad you're back." I saw the man earlier said and he was looking at me.

Weird~ why would he look straight at me. "A miracle indeed!" He exclaimed and smiled at everyone. Maybe i'm just imagining things~

"Thank goodness you're all okay! We were more than worried about you." Dean Jean said, and we all just smiled happily at her remark. But then...

"Ouch! Oof! Ow!" We all groaned when something hit us.

"You stupid little idiots! Why would you leave someone behind?! That wasn't part of the plan!" We heard Professor Greg say and I saw him, holding a stick~ maybe that was the one that hit us. A little stick. But it hurts! My forehead hurts! It felt like a big bee had stung me!

"I-It's not what you think professor! We didn't leave her behind, we were just..."

"No excuses young lad! What you did was out of order even if nothing bad happened! What could have been done to Daisy if something else was in that part of the forest?! That part was the most dangerous one as nothing was written on the map, yet you let her go?! Are you out of your mind?!" He lectured. Traceler went silent after that. I felt sorry for him though~

"Professor please... I am also at fault here, I let them do what they want without knowing what will happen. So I am begging you..."

"No! You all are at fault here! Another thing, don't you ever think that just because you are the most powerful person here in the academy, you can do what you want freely. Always remember... You are not even in the middle of your limits yet." He explained...

"Sorry professor. It won't happen again." I said sadly and looked down, embarrassed by what happened.

"No need to lecture them about the things they already knew, professor. Besides, if it wasn't for their plan they won't be able to find me. And I won't be able to escape from the curse dusk gave me." Kari explained, making all of them look at him. I also looked at their expression, and at first, it was full of curiousity and suspicion, but after examining him. They were more than surprised.

"Hail Aurora! The guardian has returned!" Dean Jean said and every professor including her, bowed down in respect. We also did, except for the sonata guy and the others who were new to my eyes.

"Hmm??? Have we missed something? What guardian?" The woman with blades on her hips asked. She was also wearing a purple clothing.

"He is the long lost guardian of the academy. Lord Inabikari IV." Mye answered excitedly.

"A centaur is the guardian of the academy? I thought it was something else!" Now a man with a sword and wears a blue armor said.

"I was also thinking the same thing... It was already how many years since I last saw the guardian, and it also made me forget about what it's like when it disappeared with the bearers." A man wearing white cloth and has this orb like thing~ floating around him, said.

"Oh everyone did forgot about it, Jade." Dean Jean said, so I suppose~ he was talking with the last one? "After what happened 20 years ago. After the bearers went missing, the guardians were nowhere to be found. And everyone at the academy forgot everything about them." She explained. "It was like... A curse was made that everyone who are in the academy, forgot about their very existence."

"But how come that we know about it? What happened? How come that we now know about them? Who was the first one to remember?"

"That question is left unanswered and no one dared to seek an answer." Dean Jean said, making it really weird for me to think that it is impossible to have such conclusions.

"Stop it with the story telling. You all need to rest. Everything was a success, so please. Go to your rooms and tomorrow will be another day for us. We're not yet done with questions. Specially you~ Daisy." Professor Greg said. So we all looked at her with tired faces before agreeing to rest.

But before we got out of the place. I heard the grown ups talking to those, "Royal Elites" or so everyone says, that they will be staying here for more than a day. Because they still need to see and inspect the school for enemies reach.

"Thank goodness there will be a saviour in the academy~"

But... I still can't get my head out of that sonata guy. Why is his nickname like that? Who gave him that? And why does he look so familiar like i've seen him before? Who is he? Where did he came from, aside from the palace of course. And most importantly... Why do I feel happy and safe around him?

To be continued~