Chapter 2: Journey Preparations
Dawn had yet to break when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the Grandelbell mansion. Luna ran up and down the stairs carrying a stack of clothes that nearly covered her face.
"Sirius! Where's your good white shirt?" she shouted from the staircase.
"Which one?" Sirius called back from his room, his voice muffled as his head was buried inside his wardrobe. "I have five white shirts!"
"The one without tea stains!" Luna set the pile of clothes on the floor and sighed in frustration. "How can you be a nobleman's son with a wardrobe that looks like a battlefield?"
Sirius poked his head out of the wardrobe, his white hair disheveled. "Any white shirt is fine. It'll just get dirty on the journey anyway."
"That's exactly why you need to leave with proper clothes!" Luna grabbed a stain-free white shirt from the pile and threw it toward Sirius. "Asteria Academy isn't a place to experiment with messy fashion styles."
Sirius caught the shirt with one hand while grinning. "I'm not experimenting. This is called natural style."
"Natural like a bird's nest," Luna muttered while picking out black pants and a black vest from the pile. "Wear these. The colors match your blue eyes."
Meanwhile, from the kitchen came the aroma of toasted bread and scrambled eggs. Adeline had been up since dawn preparing a special breakfast for her eldest son. She was even baking bread shaped like little hearts—a habit she always maintained whenever her children were going on long trips.
"Lady Adeline," greeted Marta, the head servant who had worked for the Grandelbell family for fifteen years. The middle-aged woman with brown hair tied in a neat bun walked into the kitchen carrying a large leather bag. "Young Master Sirius's bag is ready. I've packed spare clothes, toiletries, and some basic medicines."
"Thank you, Marta," Adeline smiled warmly while flipping the toast. "What about his travel provisions?"
"Already prepared, my lady. Bread, cheese, smoked meat, and dried fruits. Enough for a three-day journey." Marta placed the bag on the kitchen table. "Though Young Master Sirius says he only needs three hours to get there."
"You know Sirius," Adeline chuckled softly. "He might take a detour because he's curious about something in the forest."
In the dining room, Vera was already sitting in her chair with sleepy eyes. Her white hair was messy and she was still wearing pink pajamas with rabbit patterns. Fenris lay beside her chair, looking unusually low-energy.
"Vera, why are you up so early?" asked Sirius, who had just come down from his room in proper attire. "You usually wake up when the sun is high."
"I want to have breakfast with Big Brother Sirius," Vera answered while rubbing her eyes. "Sister Luna said Big Brother Sirius would leave before sunrise."
Sirius sat beside his little sister and gently stroked her white hair. "Sorry for waking you up. You should go back to sleep."
"It's okay. I'm not sleepy anymore," Vera smiled, though her eyes still looked heavy. "Hey, why does Fenris look gloomy?"
Sirius glanced at the black wolf lying with his head down. "He knows he'll be left behind for a while."
"Fenris isn't coming?" Vera looked shocked. "Didn't Mama say yesterday that Fenris could come?"
"Yes, but..." Sirius looked at Fenris with a guilty expression. "I think it's better for Fenris to stay here. You'll be lonely if both Fenris and I leave together."
Vera was quiet for a moment, then smiled brightly. "Oh, so Big Brother Sirius is the one who'll be lonely! That's why you don't want to bring Fenris!"
"Exactly. Vera is very smart." Sirius stroked his little sister's soft white hair.
"Alright, alright," interrupted Luna, who had just entered the dining room carrying a rectangular wooden box. "Vera's right. You just don't want to admit you'll miss Fenris."
Adeline entered with a tray of complete breakfast items. Toast, sunny-side-up eggs, and a glass of warm milk. "Breakfast for the future Asteria Academy student," she said while placing the plate in front of Sirius.
"Wow, bread!" Vera clapped happily. "Mama always makes bread when someone's going on a trip!"
"Family tradition," Adeline winked. "So the traveler always remembers family."
Sirius took a piece of bread and bit into it. It was warm and soft, with just the right amount of sweetness. "Delicious as always, Mom."
"Eat plenty. A three-hour walk is exhausting," Adeline sat in her chair while sipping her morning coffee.
"Why not take a horse carriage?" asked Vera. "It would be faster."
"I want to walk," Sirius replied while scooping his sunny-side-up egg. "It's been a long time since I took a long walk. Besides, the weather's nice."
Luna placed the wooden box on the table with a heavy 'thunk' sound. "This is for you," she said with an unusually serious tone.
Sirius stopped chewing and looked at the box curiously. "What is this?"
"Just open it," Luna crossed her arms with a proud expression.
Sirius opened the box slowly. Inside, wrapped in blue velvet cloth, was a sword with a black leather sheath. The sword's handle was square-shaped with simple silver ornaments, and from its appearance, this was clearly no ordinary sword.
"A sword?" Sirius carefully lifted the sword from the box. "This is... heavy."
"I had that sword specially made for you," Adeline said with a gentle voice. "Not a family heirloom like your father's, but a sword crafted specifically for your abilities."
Sirius drew the sword from its sheath. The blade was straight with a square tip, unlike common swords that were pointed. Its surface gleamed with a slightly bluish silver color.
"The shape is unique," Sirius commented while examining the sword. "The tip is square."
"That sword was designed for your fighting style," Luna explained. "You prefer direct attacks over thrusts, so the square tip will be more effective for striking and cutting."
"Which blacksmith made it?" asked Sirius while feeling the sword's balance in his hand.
"Uncle Gareth," Adeline answered. "He used to make swords for your grandfather. It took three months to complete."
Vera stood on her chair to get a closer look at the sword. "Beautiful! But why doesn't it shine like Papa's sword?"
"Because this isn't a magic sword," Sirius returned the sword to its sheath. "But I like it. It feels... right in my hand."
"The square handle was also specially designed," Luna added. "So it won't slip easily during combat, and there's a small space inside the handle to store crystal stones if you ever need them."
"Crystal?" Sirius opened the bottom part of the handle and found a small cavity inside. "Wow, so detailed."
"We didn't want you to leave empty-handed," Adeline smiled warmly. "Taking the family sword to Asteria Academy would be troublesome if you cause problems later."
Sirius hugged his mother tightly. "Thank you, Mom. I'll take good care of it."
"Don't lose it or break it," Luna warned with a serious tone. "It was expensive."
"How expensive?" Sirius asked curiously.
"Enough to buy five new gazebos," Luna answered with a mischievous grin.
Sirius almost dropped his sword. "That expensive?!"
"That's why you need to take good care of it," Vera chimed in with a seriously cute voice. "Don't let it break like the gazebo!"
The Grandelbell family laughed together. Even Fenris lifted his head and barked softly, as if joining in the laughter.
After breakfast was finished, Marta brought Sirius's travel bag to the living room. A large brown leather bag with strong straps, looking sturdy and durable.
"Everything is ready, Young Master Sirius," Marta reported while checking the bag's contents once more. "Spare clothes, toiletries, medicines, food provisions, and pocket money. There's also a thick cloak in case of cold weather."
"Thank you, Marta. You've been so helpful," Sirius lifted the bag and felt its weight. "Wow, it's quite heavy."
"That's why don't forget to eat the provisions we prepared," Adeline reminded while handing him a water bottle. "And don't carelessly drink water from streams."
"Yes, Mom," Sirius slung the bag over his shoulder and fastened his new sword to his waist. "I'm ready."
Outside, the sky was still dark with stars clearly visible. The morning air was very cool and fresh, perfect for a long journey. Fenris followed Sirius to the front terrace with unenthusiastic steps.
"Guard the house well, Fenris," Sirius petted his black wolf's head. "Watch over Vera, and don't let Luna get too stressed about household matters."
Fenris barked once, as if promising to carry out his duties.
Vera ran toward Sirius and hugged him tightly. "Don't forget to write letters to Vera," she said with a trembling voice. "Vera will wait."
"Of course. I'll write letters every week," Sirius promised while lifting his sister. "And I'll bring souvenirs from the Asteria Kingdom."
"What kind of souvenirs?"
"That's a secret," Sirius winked. "You'll find out when I come home."
Luna approached with an unusual expression—between annoyed and sad. "Don't cause trouble at the academy," she said while patting Sirius's shoulder. "And don't forget to send letters. I'm curious about stories of academy life."
"I'm curious too," Sirius grinned. "There might be many interesting stories."
"Or complicated problems," Luna muttered.
Adeline was the last to give a hug. Her embrace was warm and long, as if wanting to preserve this moment forever.
"Take good care of yourself," she whispered in Sirius's ear. "Don't hesitate to come home if there are serious problems."
"I'll be fine, Mom," Sirius returned his mother's embrace. "And I'll make you all proud."
"We're already proud of you," Adeline released the hug and looked into her son's blue eyes. "Now go before sunrise. The journey will be more comfortable if it's not too hot."
Sirius nodded and began walking toward the mansion gate. He glanced back once, seeing his family gathered on the terrace with Fenris beside them. The sight made his chest feel tight—a mixture of sadness and excitement.
"I'll be back!" he shouted from the gate.
"Be careful on the road!" Vera called back while waving her hand.
"Don't attack animals carelessly!" Luna added with a warning tone.
"Eat your provisions!" Adeline shouted.
Sirius laughed and waved once more before walking toward the main road. His steps were quick and enthusiastic, as if starting a new adventure.
The road to the Asteria Kingdom was a fairly wide dirt road, surrounded by large trees on both sides. The cool morning air made the journey feel pleasant, and Sirius could hear the sounds of birds beginning to chirp, welcoming the dawn.
He occasionally touched the handle of his new sword, making sure its position was right and didn't interfere with his steps. The sword felt lighter after walking for several minutes, probably because his body had gotten used to its weight.
"Three hours of walking," he muttered while looking at the sky that was beginning to change color from black to dark blue. "If I walk leisurely, maybe four hours. But if I encounter something interesting on the road..."
Sirius grinned, imagining the possibilities that could happen during the journey. Maybe there would be interesting magical creatures to face, or beautiful scenery worth stopping for.
One thing was certain, this would be the beginning of a new chapter in his life. Asteria Academy, independent living, and new challenges waiting ahead.
And without realizing it, behind the bushes on the roadside, a pair of yellow eyes was watching him attentively. It seemed the journey to the Asteria Kingdom wouldn't be as boring as Sirius had imagined.