It's been a week since my one-month celebration birthday party, and here I am outside my palace. Waiting for Aunt Chan to arrive. Today also marks the beginning of my education, and Aunt Chan was the assigned teacher for my history class. I already know how to read and write because of Themis, as far as my memory remembers. After all, it's only normal that I learn how to read and write at the age of three or four, right? Alina really is genius. She even forced Themis before to teach her!
"You look extremely happy. Are you actually excited for this?" As for Asher, he's with me right now, of course. He also decided to make himself visible to everyone. My family already know that he's been freeloading in my room, but they couldn't do anything about it. After all, the reason for it was to watch over my overflowing mana. Grr, because of this overflowing mana I couldn't proceed with my magic class!
Anyways, now that I've got my own palace, I decided to give Asher his own room too. However, he still prefer freeloading in my room all because it is 'convenient' for him to be close to me in order to watch over me. That's what he said.
"Of course! I've been looking forward to it! This is my first lesson with Aunt Chan after all," I replied. Asher just responded with 'Heeeh?' while slowly nodding his head, as if he couldn't believe what I had just said.
As the carriage of Duchess Odilia arrived, I smiled widely. In my previous life, I definitely hate studying, but in this world... there's no other things to entertain me but the books, so I immersed myself in reading books instead. I especially enjoyed reading the history of Odilia and Ciera!
When Aunt Chan appeared in front of me, both Asher and I gave her a proper bow. I placed my right hand across my chest, and I held my dress with my left hand.
"Greetings, and welcome to my humble abode, Duchess Odilia. It is an honor to have you as my lecturer," I greeted and smiled at Aunt Chan. She did the same pose as me and replied.
"Thank you for your warm welcome, Your Highness. I am deeply delighted to be greeted by the Princess herself," I stood straight as I face my Auntie.
"I greet the Astra as well. I see that you are not invisible today," Ohh...she knew that?
"Yes, it is quite disrespectful if I keep hiding from the Imperial Family," lies. You're still hiding from my family, you just decided not to right now because it wasn't my father nor brothers.
Aunt Chan chuckled and turned her head to me. We stared at each other for a few seconds and...
"Kyaaah! Why are you so adorable, my dear niece!" She then throw herself to me and hugged me, kneeling on the ground while giving me kisses all over my face!
"Wahh—aunt—"
"I've been wanting to embrace you!" And then she stopped giving me smooches, then hugged me tightly.
"Auntie...?" I called, but she didn't answer me.
"You look exactly the same as sister when she was a kid..." She murmured. Her voice sounds as if she was longing for her sister so much.
I can feel Asher's stares, but it looks like he has no intention of interfering.
I wrapped my arms around Aunt's shoulder before I spoke.
"Really, Aunt Chan? I haven't seen any pictures of Mom when she was kid!" I replied cheerfully.
She stayed quiet for a few seconds, and then pulled away. Giving me a smile that could DESTROY ANY MAN'S HEART! HOW ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIFYING!
"I have a lot of it. Do you want to see them?"
"Yes! Yes!" I replied.
Oh my gosh! I'm finally going to see how my mother looks like as a kid!
"Sorry to barge in your little world, but we can't waste time for chit-chat, Duchess. The Princess still have other lessons to attend to," Asher spoke—
Wow, he speaks like he's my butler.
"Oh, apologies. We should go now then!"
***
"This Empire was built on the year of 135. Lumiere Odilia and Sullivan Ciera signed a contract together. Since Ali said she had already read and finished the entire book of Odilia and Ciera, she must know the reason for this, am I right?" I gave Aunt Chan a smile. I did finished reading both books, and this was the very important detail that caught my attention while I was reading it.
"Indeed, I do. Aunt Chan!" I replied. She chuckled and dematerialized the book she was holding.
"Alright, let's hear it,"
"Before Lumiere and Sullivan founded this empire, they were both in the same expedition group. This group was to take down the dragon that made the area its lair. Sullivan Ciera was the strongest, as well as the Grand Duke of Duncan Empire, thus he was sent to join this group—alone. On the other hand, Lumiere Odilia was a Grand Master of their kingdom's knights, the Meir Kingdom. Him, along with 500 knights, were sent to this place with the same purpose as Sullivan. After all, both Duncan Empire and Meir Kingdom formed an alliance to defeat the dragon in order to take advantage of the area's resources..."
It took them seven years before they defeated the dragon. A bloody war against this evil dragon that resulted in massive casualties and deaths. In the end, only six warriors remained. Sullivan Ciera, Lumiere Odilia, Tiago Laverde, Amira Silva, Phoebe Scarlett, and Alessia Alegra. With the hope of Sullivan dying in this expedition, the Duncan Empire was delighted with the announcement that Sullivan had died. However, it was all Lumiere's plan. He convinced Sullivan to live in the Meir Kingdom, and the king also handed him the position of the Acting Grand Master of the knights after its late one.
After that, Meir Kingdom waged war against Duncan Empire, and that's how the empire found out about Sullivan being alive. The war resulted to not many casualties, most Duncan Knights, as well as half of the nobilities sided with Sullivan. Overthrowing the corrupted rulers of the empire. After this war, the ruler of the Meir Kingdom, along with the new ruler of the new Duncan Empire, helped the Ciera Empire come into existence. On the year 135, Lumiere had formed a contract, and took an oath for Sullivan Ciera. That this empire will be built upon Sullivan's name, and Lumiere will be his forever supporter and knight. And that's how this empire was built.
"Oh my..." Aunt Chan looked at me with sparkled all over her. Literally! It's like she made an effect via her magic! Hahaha! How cute!
"You're a genius, my dear!" She then throw herself to me while nudging her cheek to mine. She looks extremely happy...
And no, I am not a genius, Auntie. It's because I've been reading those books for two years now... I love this part of history after all.
"Ehehe... Not at all, Aunt Chan. I simply read the book..."
And I thought it was a novel, so I got invested to it. Haha!
"How humble, dear. It is amazing enough that you can already write and read at the age of five. Now you had the history memorized? I'm so proud of you!" She then started smooching my face again...
I just kept giggling as I let her do what she wants.
"For your information, Aunt Chan. Ali forced Themis to teach her to write at the age of three—and she can already read at the age of four," Ahaha... Well, yes. That's right. The original Alina can already read and write when I came here. So this is not because of 'me' but because of the previous owner of this body. I simply took advantage of it.
"Oh, if it isn't my dear Zain!" Both Aunt Chan and I turned to the second floor of my library, and there we saw Brother Dae, looking proud.
Asher didn't bother to look at him. He just stand on my right side as if he's my right hand.
"Did you come here to see me, my favorite nephew?" Aunt Chan then disappeared from my sight and in a split second, she's now behind Brother Zain, hugging him.
"Eek--" my brother was startled and immediately teleported away from her, going behind this chair of mine. She just chuckled and then went back in front of me again.
"Okay, moving forward—it looks like there is no need to enlighten you with the Ciera's history... Then, I must ask if you have learned about this land's history before it became a lair for that evil dragon?" I blinked for a couple of times because of what I heard.
This land before it became a dragon's lair...?
Brother Dae walked on my left side and stood there. What, is he my bodyguard now, too?
"I apologize, but I am currently unaware about this part of history, Auntie," I replied, scratching the back of my head while giving her a smile.
"Thank you for being honest with me, my dear Ali. Alright then... We should tackle that now,"
Goodness...
I didn't know there's more to the history than what's written in the books.
***
I sighed and leaned my head on the headboard of my bed. I feel like all the information I got from this class with Aunt Chan has overloaded my head. I didn't know there's such a history behind all the histories I've read.
It turns out before that evil dragon used this land as its lair. He was a ruler of this ancient country, called Zariah Empire. A nation that has faded from the history of the whole world. It was once a trading nation, a place where various races visits to trade their resources.
Yes. Various races.
Aunt Chan said that this world is not only to humans, but for other races as well. And this is the first time I've heard of it. However, I wasn't surprised—after all, I know a certain person who is humanoid, but is not human at all.
My head hurts...
This evil dragon was said to be a divine beast, Aunt Chan did not know its origin but she knew it was once a divine beast. She said that our lesson about the Zariah Empire is not official, after all this Empire's history was buried deep, and no one seems to know about it. However, Asher also mentioned earlier that there was a book about it, guarded below the Ciera Cathedral. All the information I got from Aunt Chan came from that book as well. However, it seems like the story is limited.
It only mentioned everything about the downfall of this Empire. But it's origin is also unknown. All they know is that the evil dragon has ruled that Empire before it was erased from the map.
And how exactly was it removed from the whole Lumia?
A divine light. Said to struck this empire in order to clean everything about it. Aunt Chan said that this evil dragon tainted the Empire of his darkness, and that's why the Gods had decided to strike it whole, leaving no trace of its nation behind.
"You looks extremely exhausted," Asher said, pouring mana to the holy flower that's placed beside my bed.
"Yeah... I didn't know there was an Empire before Ciera Empire—and it's even more surprising because it was ruled by a dragon. Weren't the people there terrified to see such massive sized creature?" I asked, now completely lying on my bed.
"Heh—" I immediately turned to Asher and glared at him. Why's he scoffing, this jerk?!
"It wasn't any dragon, it was a divine beast. It can transform to whatever form he wants," Asher replied, now heading to the table where lots of cookies and sweets are waiting for him.
"Asher seem to know of the dragon,"
He stopped walking, stared outside my window and then stayed quiet.
What's with him? Reminiscing?
"Yes... Of course," I creased my forehead. His reply sounds really off. It's like he remembered something painful.
"Then, can you tell me everything about it?" I asked cheerfully.
He takes a seat on the couch and nodded his head.
"Not a problem, if that's what the princess wants,"
"Great!" He doesn't seem forced, so I think he really planned to tell me all along?
"But as of now, you should rest. Looks like all the information from your class got you exhausted," Hah... He knows ~
"Yep, thanks Asher... Eat well!"
He didn't bother to reply.
Since the dragon is a divine beast, one of the five Gods must've created it, right? I wonder who? And how did it became an evil dragon? I want to know.
I feel like it's going to be my loss if I didn't know anything about it.
I don't know why.
Maybe it's just me being nosy...
***