Marrying The Vampire Prince

Nicole Jane's POV

Even though it was already late at night, the surroundings were still bright because of the flashing lights while the loud music that was currently being played could be heard from every corner of the mansion. There are even some people who are shouting and laughing as if there's no tomorrow, which irritated my ears even more.

My debut party had a fairy tale theme. I was actually against it because I preferred a gothic theme instead. But my parents won't give in to my plea. As their only child and daughter, they insist that I should look like a princess on this night. That everything around should look magical.

But what I really hate tonight is the fact that they have invited my classmates to come over. Even though they knew that I wasn't friends with any of them. I even barely talk to any one of them. Unless, it's school-related. Besides, they also had invited some guests that I didn't know personally.

Fortunately, they somehow allowed me to remove eighteen roses from the program. I didn't feel like dancing with anybody anyway.

I'm currently drinking by the pool. Since I'm already eighteen, I'm allowed to drink whatever I want already. I'd rather grumble here than be a hypocrite and socialize with them on the dance floor.

"Happy birthday!"

I was stunned when someone suddenly spoke from behind. Slowly, I looked at the newcomer.

I frowned when I saw a tall man with gray eyes. If I wasn't mistaken, he's one of my parents' friends.

"Thank you," I said casually.

He was about to speak when suddenly, my parents approached together with a meticulous-looking woman.

"Hey, there you are! We've been looking for you," the meticulous-looking woman said to the man who greeted me earlier before she gazed in my direction. "Hi! Happy birthday! It's been a while, and you've grown into such a beautiful young lady already."

I raised an eyebrow. She spoke as if she knew me very well.

"Sweetie, we just have something to discuss with. Entertain your visitors, okay?" Mom ordered.

I frowned. "You have nothing to worry about, Mom. They can manage themselves just fine."

Mom gave me a stern look. So, I stood up lazily and rolled my eyes with my back facing them.

My gaze followed them discreetly. Even though today is my birthday, it looked like my parents still had a business agenda mixed in.

But another thing I noticed about my parents' friends was the color of their skin. They were too pale.

I just shook my head and took another drink from the tray that the waiter was carrying, then drank it straight.

When the glass was already empty, I couldn't help but look up at the sky. In particular, at the moon. I didn't know why, but it seemed to have a hypnotic effect.

"Nicole! What are you doing here? Come on! Let's party!"

I blinked and was not able to object when someone suddenly pulled me towards the dance floor. However, I knew that the only reason why my classmates were here was to flex their business and their parents to my parents to become their business partners.

But I just let it go. They're not the only ones capable of putting on a mask. After all, this is my day. That's why I did nothing but have fun this night. Until I was completely drunk, and my surroundings were slowly swallowed by darkness.

***

I quickly covered my right arm over my eyes when they opened because of the rays of the sun that suddenly came into view. But I winced when my head suddenly hurt. So I waited a few minutes before slowly getting up and leaving the room. One of our maids was standing right in front of the door causing me to step back in shock when I opened it.

"You startled me, Riza! What are you doing here?" I couldn't stop my voice from rising.

She bowed slightly. "Good morning, Ma'am Nicole. I'm sorry. I was just about to knock to wake you up and ask you if I should bring your breakfast here?" she asked politely, with a slight tinge of fear in her voice.

I yawned. "No need. I'll just go to the dining room", I answered gently.

"All right. I will prepare your breakfast right away." She walked away first.

It seemed that the sleepiness I was feeling flew out of the window when I suddenly remembered something. When a maid comes to my room to wake me up, my parents are sure to be here. Whenever they're not around, the maids do not disturb my sleep because that is what I strongly instructed them to do so.

I just shrugged and reluctantly continued walking while my eyes were still half-closed. When I got to the stairs, I descended slowly because I might fall. If I'm not mistaken, it was already dawn when I fell asleep because of my debut party last night.

But I was stunned when I heard Mom and Dad's serious conversation in the living room. I also massaged my temples as numbing pains shot through them. I still felt disoriented from last night.

The party was smooth and successful even though I passed out due to drunkenness. But even so, I still can't help but wonder about where my parents met their invited friends last night.

There seems to be something different about them. Their skin looked pale, and they were so emotionless.

Actually, some of them surprisingly look familiar. I just don't remember where, or if I ever really saw them before.

I shook my head at the thought. My head was definitely still on turmoil right now.

"After four long years, I'm glad to know that he will be back already," Dad said.

My eyebrows raised because of what I heard. Who is the person that they are referring to who has returned here? As far as I know, we didn't have any relatives in other countries. All of them were already here.

Well, that's what I knew.

"Yeah. I still couldn't believe it when they told us about it. We need to make a move already. Most especially now that everything is happening according to the plan," Mom said cheerfully.

Plan? What plan? What the hell are my parents talking about? The curiosity is killing me!

"It may be hard for the two of them at first. But Nicole will surely like him. I'm sure of that," Dad said confidently.

Wait, why was my name suddenly dragged in their conversation?

I couldn't stand it anymore and quickly made my way to the living room. Dad was the first one who saw me because he was facing my direction. His eyes widened in shock. Mom stared at him in confusion. That's why she also turned on where I was standing.

They both stood up upon seeing me with their mouths hanging open.

What is going on with the two of them? Could this be the effect of their frequent stays in other countries?

I crossed my arms at them. "Who is the guy that you say is coming back, and I will like?

I looked at both of them. There was still a hint of shock on their faces when they saw me. They looked like criminals that had been caught in the act.

A few seconds passed before they finally recovered. A wide smile then formed on my Mom's lips that made me shiver. Because there seemed to be something different in the way she smiled at me.

I gulped. I had a strong feeling that I was not going to like whatever the answer to my question was.

Our situation were reversed in an instant. It felt like I was the one in the hot seat this time.

Dad suddenly became serious, then looked straight into my eyes. "It's your fiancé. He's coming back."

My jaw dropped at what he said.

When I was still young, I already heard stories about my future fiancé. That I'm going to meet him once I turn 18.

Though I didn't take it seriously and chose to ignore it instead. Because I thought that maybe it was just a joke and there was no taint of any truth about it.

But now that my parents are the ones confirming it, I could no longer ignore it.

I gasped as the realization hit me. I just turned 18 yesterday! So, it means...

"What? No way!"

Nicole Jane's POV

"You behave there, okay? Don't worry, we'll always call you," Mom said.

I just rolled my eyes and plugged in my earphones. I was tired of their reminders.

Since the day they told me about my fiancé, they hadn't mentioned anything about it again. They didn't even give me a chance to speak again because they suddenly left at that time.

I also asked them about it several times whenever I had the chance because I was really felt uneasy. But they didn't really give any other explanation. Up to now, I'm still hoping that what they were saying wasn't true.

I don't know what my parents were thinking to put me in such a precarious situation. I haven't even been in a relationship or even admired a single man in my entire life. Then they'll just break the news that I will be married off to someone?

Then out of the blue, they broke another news to me. That I'm going to transfer to who knows where. They didn't even tell me what the school was called nor where it even was. They were deciding to transfer me on my last year of senior high.

Just great.

I looked outside the window. All I could see were tall buildings. While the people around were busy with their own activities.

My lips thinned. The fact that I don't have any idea on where we were going made me feel anxious.

Truth be told, I refused to leave at first. But the moment they told me that they were going to cut my allowances and leave me with nothing, I shut up.

Though I didn't believe in them at first. The thing is that they left me alone in our house for a week without any extra money on hand!

They can be in any part of the world for all I care. But as long as I had my allowance with me. What was going to happen to my adventurous life if I didn't have the money I needed, right?

That reason alone led me to this kind of situation. It's all thanks to my loving parents.

We have been traveling for some time now. I didn't even have the chance to memorize the routes we took because it took too many turns.

Right until the view of the roads were replaced by tall trees. The whole area around me was almost entirely covered by green, and I couldn't see a single house standing anywhere.

I didn't really know the place. The last city we passed was so far away. It would have taken maybe more than an hour to reach it from this place.

"Don't tell me that the school where I'm going to transfer to is somewhere in the middle of the forest?" I unplugged my earphones and asked them in disbelief.

It didn't seem to suit me to study just anywhere. The school I used to attend was prestigious, where most of the students were children of businessmen or politicians. Then all of a sudden they were transferring me to an unknown school?

They both looked at each other. But before I could ask again, I was stunned when I saw from not far away the two towering golden gates.

"Wow," I whispered in amusement as we get nearer.

But I didn't let my parents see my amazement for fear of what they were going to think and say.

To be fair, the gates did look expensive. Let's see what they had on the inside.

When we stopped at the gates, they slowly opened up from the middle, clearing the way for us to go inside.

Welcome To Clarkson Academy

Those words were engraved at the bottom of a statue that looks like a warrior with a cape and riding a horse were the first thing that caught my attention as soon as we entered.

It actually sounds familiar. I just can't remember where I heard the name of this school.

I was amazed to see the huge stone buildings. They were colored white and chocolate. They had sliding windows and each hallway had pillars.

I would have mistaken the place to more of a vintage palace rather than an academy, because its structure and design was so classy and elegant. It looked like a place for a royal family.

In addition to that are the guards outside that caught my eye before we finally got inside earlier. Security seemed to be very tight here as well.

I haven't seen any students around yet. It was still too early, so maybe they were still in their respective dorm rooms.

Dad stopped the car in front of the main building, then we all stepped out. I looked up at it and saw the big round clock on top of it.

I hugged myself as a strong, cold breeze blew. Because of this, you wouldn't feel the heat of the weather in this place. Even the sky was a bit overcast.

After all, the whole area was located at an elevated area, add to that the towering trees that surrounded the place.

I didn't know why, but this school felt creepy. Sometimes something too perfect on the outside can be scary, because you couldn't quite see what was hidden inside of it.

I was about to ask Dad when I spotted an elderly man approaching our direction. He was wearing a black hat and suit with a white polo shirt inside. His eyes are narrow, and he had a small beard on his chin. He was tall but a bit thin.

I blinked. I may have sounded weird, but I could sense a strange aura from him.

He smiled as he approached us. But I didn't know why I was suddenly horrified by the way he looked at us- especially when he looked directly at me.

Another thing I noticed about him was the color of his skin. I wouldn't say it was white- a bit pale, maybe. Perhaps they didn't get much of the sun due to the cold climate of the area.

"Good day! Mr. and Mrs. Parker," he greeted my parents in a cold deep voice before he turned to me.

Was the coldness in his voice also due to the climate here?

"Same to you, Young Miss." He stared at me intently.

There's something in the way he looked at me that made me smile at him, even though I had no intention of doing so.

Why would I in the first place?

"You take care of our daughter. We know that you will be able to watch over her better here. Please let us know if anything happens," Dad said seriously, which surprised me.

What did he mean by that? Were they leaving me at this isolated place because they were tired of taking care of me?

Something felt wrong. In fact, our maids took better care of me at home because both of them were often abroad. So why did they have to move me here?

"Of course, we will." The middle-aged man bowed at my parents.

I was stunned. He seemed too polite.

"Thank you."

Dad seemed to breathe a sigh of relief before he faced me. He took out something in his pocket. I stared at it and found out that it's a necklace. It is golden one and has a crescent moon pendant.

He motioned for me to turn around, so I did. Then I felt the touch of a cold metal object on my neck.

I turned around to face both of them, confused. I was surprised when they both suddenly hugged me.

I froze where I stood. All my life, this was the first time they held me like this.

"Whatever happens, don't take it off," Dad sternly warned.

My forehead furrowed but I didn't speak.

"Always remember how much we love you, darling." There's a hint of sadness in Mom's voice.

I fought to stop my tears from falling. I couldn't believe what was happening.

It was also the first time that I heard them say that they loved me. That's why I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to feel.

I may be a rebellious daughter. But that didn't mean that I didn't love them at all. Because the truth is, I really do.

But because I grew up and got used to them not always being by my side, I kind of buried that feeling towards them. Although I admit that hearing those words from them softened my heart.

"Please, always take care. And no matter what happens and what you find out, always remember how much we love you. We only want what is best for you," Mom said as we pulled out from the hug.

I just absent-mindedly nodded before looking away. I didn't know the right words to say to them.

Dad patted my head. "I know that there's a part of you that hates us. But when the right time comes, you'll realize the reasons why we did those things to you. When that happens, we hope that you'll understand."

To be honest, I was confused by how they were acting and what they were saying. But I just kept quiet and didn't ask any more questions.

After we said goodbye to each other, they handed my things to another staff who came over. They both kissed me on my forehead before they left.

My gaze followed them until I couldn't see their car anymore. I turned to the middle-aged man who was still standing in front of me now.

"Welcome to Clarkson Academy, Miss Nicole!" He bowed down once again.

I raised an eyebrow when he called me by my name. I didn't like the fact that he sounded as if we knew each other for a long time.

But my forehead furrowed when I noticed my own car heading towards our direction.

Yes. I have my own car already. It was my parents' birthday present to me from that night of my debut. It was a peach-colored Porsche Taycan.

It stopped right in front of me and whoever was driving it stepped out and approached me.

"Your parents sent it, so you can use it in case you ever think of going to the city every weekend," explained the slightly slender man, even though I wasn't asking.

Our ages wouldn't have been that far apart, I thought. His skin color is also pale, but his lips were quite red.

I just nodded. Actually, I also noticed all the cars in the parking lot that we passed earlier. Surely, you can't go out to the city if you don't have your own car. I have to walk all the way there if ever. Why did this academy have to be at this far-off location anyway?

"Thanks."

He bowed down, then got into my car again to park it somewhere. I turned to face the man who greeted me earlier when he suddenly spoke.

"I am Butler Ernesto Lin by the way. Is it okay with you if I showed you around the whole place first? Our other staff will take care of bringing your things up to your room."

I thought before I looked at him. It was as if the sight of him became scary even though he was smiling.

But in the end I just agreed to his suggestion.

"Sure."

We went to every building here. As well as the open field, gymnasium, dining hall, swimming pool area, library, music room and everywhere else. I was even amazed at their colorful garden with different kinds of flowers, most especially those that I had only seen for the first time. There were also many places to hang out here. It was a good place to relax, or to just get some peace of mind.

But what caught my attention the most was the forest that was inside. He strictly told me never to go there.

Since I really don't feel the need to follow any of the rules and also loved the thrill of adventure, I couldn't allow myself not to go inside that place.

I knew that there was something hidden behind those tall trees.

"I'd give up on trying to go inside that place, if I were you. You don't have any idea what you'll find inside."

I stopped and looked at him.

Was he a some kind of mind reader?

He shook his head. "I'm not a mind reader. It's obvious from the expression on your face what you're thinking," he explained as my jaw dropped.

Was I really that easy to read?

I was still deep in thought until we headed to my room. I noticed that there were two dormitory buildings here. At first, I thought that men and women were separated, but I found out it wasn't.

Both dormitories were divided by a grand staircase that had a red carpet. The girl's room was on the right side, while the boy's room was on the left. It also has a lounge area where we could watch TV and hang out according to Butler Lin.

What I really wondered was what the difference is if both boys and girls were together in the same dormitory apart from the color of the buildings- ours was pure white while the other one was chocolate in color.

I couldn't help but suspect something. Maybe those on the other side had special treatment?

We started climbing and continued to the third floor. I stopped walking when he suddenly stopped in front of a door. This would probably be my room.

"This is your room, Young Miss. Your belongings and car keys are already inside. Even your uniforms and the list of your schedules are already placed on your table."

I nodded. I was also impressed by the excellent service- they were so hands-on when it came to the needs of the students here.

He handed me my key. I bid my thanks to him, and I was about to open the door when he held my arm to stop me.

I quickly withdrew my arm. Not because I was surprised. But because his hand was so cold.

It was really weird.

"Why are your hands cold?" I couldn't stop asking.

He suddenly stood up straight and gasped.

"It is normal for us to be a bit cold in this place."

I frowned at his seemingly philosophical answer. But I was stunned when I noticed the sudden seriousness of his face. He was quick to change his mood.

"I just want to give you something." The coldness in his voice made me shiver. I just realized that his hand seemed as cold as his voice.

He gave me a bracelet that I hesitantly accepted. It was silver with two fang pendants.

"That will serve as your protection, so you must always wear it. Just like the necklace you are wearing now, don't take it off or let it go. Those will serve as your identification."

I took a step back when I heard the threat in his voice.

I looked down on the bracelet that he gave me. What was up with these accessories that they were giving me, and why were they both so important?

At the same time as I looked up at him, a strong wind blew.

Then suddenly, the man in front of me was gone.

Nicole Jane's POV

I only had forty minutes left before my first class starts. So, I quickly got inside my room. I hadn't been able to take everything out of my suitcase because I didn't have much time to put them on the cabinet. Why did I have to move here right on the first day of school?

I am now standing beside my bed with my arms crossed, staring at the necklace and bracelet laid on top of it.

There was another bed here near the window. So, I was sure that two students could occupy the room. Although I was happy because I was still the only one occupying it right now.

"Whatever happens, don't take it off."

"That will serve as your protection, so you must always wear it."

Until now, I could still hear their reminders, although I didn't fully understand yet what they were for.

But I just realized. If these two were really that important, then I shouldn't wear them and just keep it in a safe place instead, because I just might end up losing them both eventually.

I winced as I again focused on the bracelet that Butler Lin gave. Honestly, another reason why I didn't want to wear it was because of the weird design of the pendant.

So in the end, I just decided not to wear both of them. I just hid them in the lowest part of the cabinet and locked them. Then I looked at myself in front of a full-length mirror one last time.

"Even the color of their uniform was strange. It's a good thing I looked cool in black, though," I said to myself while fixing the slight tangle in my skirt.

The skirt was checkered black and white and rode above the knee. The coat was also black with a white long sleeves inside and a red ribbon.

I just applied some face powder and lip tint before letting my waist-length, wavy light blonde hair down.

When I'm finally satisfied with how I looked, I took my bag and my schedule list, then went off.

Actually, I could come late to class according to what Butler Lin told me earlier because I was new. But I didn't want that.

At the same time as I opened my door, so did the door on the room left side of mine. We both froze when our eyes met. Her forehead wrinkled as she stared at me.

Then suddenly, a smile slowly formed on her lips as she waved her right hand to me.

"Hello! You must be the new student!" she greeted cheerfully.

"Well, I guess so." I hesitated to answer because I wasn't sure if I was the only student who was new here.

She laughed. I just shrugged my shoulders and started walking. I was about to pass her because I had no intention of talking to her when she suddenly blocked my path.

"Wait!"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"

She started to walk towards me, then extended her right arm. "By the way, I'm Mikan. You are?"

I just looked at her hand spread out in front of me.

"Nicole," I simply answered.

She immediately pulled her hand away. It didn't seem to bother her that I didn't accept the gesture.

I didn't want to be rude. I just wasn't the friendly type of person. That's why I didn't have any friends at all.

I thought she would stop talking, but it seemed that she really had no intention of letting the conversation go.

"Do you know where your classroom is?" she asked smiling.

I shook my head. I really didn't know yet. I forgot to ask, and it seemed that Butler Lin also forgot to mention it earlier.

"May I see your schedule?"

Although hesitant, I silently handed her the class schedule I was holding.

"Oh. You're also in class 12-A of ABM. You can come with me. That is also my class." Her voice was full of excitement.

I shrugged. As much as I didn't want to go with her, I knew my life would be easier if I did.

"Okay."

Good thing I met one of my classmates. I didn't intend to struggle just to find my classroom. You needed a lot of luck just to find your way inside this large school.

She just kept telling me about her life that I had no interest in while we were walking. I just listened quietly. It was the least I could do.

After we got out of the dormitory building, I saw a lot of fellow students scattered in the area. I immediately noticed that everyone from our dormitory was wearing a bracelet similar to the one given to me by Butler Lin.

I didn't pay it much attention. But when we passed the other dormitory, I noticed that all the students from there weren't wearing any bracelets.

I frowned. Do they choose the students who get to wear the bracelets?

Another thing that amazed me was that there are more of them compared to us. I estimate that only one-fourth of the student body was from our dormitory.

Now I wonder why. You will notice right away that something was wrong. Even the way they looked at me- it was so creepy. There was also something different with their eyes. It has some sort of hypnotic effect that I couldn't understand.

Another thing I didn't understand was why they were only looking at me that way. Did they think I was so beautiful that they couldn't stop staring?

"How long have you been here?" I couldn't help but ask Mikan.

We continued walking until we entered a building. Where was our room?

She glances at me. "Since freshman year," she answered with a smile.

I was about to ask her again when she suddenly stopped in front of a door. Maybe this is our classroom.

"Here we are." She was the one who turned the knob and pushed the door open.

When she opened the door, everyone inside suddenly looked at us. I just shook my head when I realized that we were already late because our teacher was already inside.

"Miss Williams, you're late," our teacher said to Mikan.

"Sorry, Sir. It won't happen again." She bowed before walking straight to the empty seat at the back.

Did she just leave me hanging?

Our teacher's attention shifted to me. "You must be the new student?"

I slowly nodded to him. His face is too serious. "Yes, Sir."

He suddenly smiled. But there was something strange about him that I couldn't figure out.

"Okay. Please come here in front and introduce yourself to the class first." He motioned his right hand towards the front of his table.

I quickly entered and immediately stood in front as he ordered.

"Good morning. My name is Nicole Jane Parker," I managed to introduce myself to them.

There is something really special about the people here. You can't even see any kind of emotion in most of them. They just all had these blank expressions.

"Okay." Suddenly, our teacher approached me. "But where's your bracelet, Miss Parker? Don't you know that it is required for you to wear that?" he asked seriously in a low voice.

I was stunned by his question. Was it really that important?

"I was in a hurry earlier, so I forgot to wear it," I just excused myself.

He nodded. "Okay. Just don't forget to wear it next time. That is one of the most important things you should always have with you while you're here."

I was about to ask more when he spoke again.

"You may now take your seat. You may sit next to Miss Williams."

I walked towards the back. Most of my classmates gazes followed me. The way they looked at me seemed that they wanted to eat me alive.

They're really weird and creepy!

The classes that I had attended went well. I listened attentively in every discussion. I was also able to answer the recitations immediately. The subjects are not different here. It's almost the same as the school I came from.

Even though I was stubborn and would often get reprimanded, I can say that I also had something to be proud of. It may not be obvious, but I was one of the top students in my previous school. I passed all of our exams and usually joined the school activities. I also like to join different clubs that capture my interest.

Some time passed and finally the bell rang. Just in time, I thought. I was getting hungry, so I quickly gathered my things and was about to go out the door when someone suddenly pulled me.

"Let's go eat together!" Mikan invited.

I was impressed by the fighting spirit of this girl. She really thought we were already close friends. She should be thankful that I wasn't in the mood to argue, so I just let went along.

After we arrived in the dining hall, I immediately looked around. The chairs and tables were made of wood just like the floor. Small chandeliers are even hung from the ceiling. It was also cool inside because of the centralized air conditioning. But even so, the food smelled fresh.

A lot of students were also starting to fill up the cafeteria. That's why we immediately lined up to buy food.

I bought pizza, spaghetti and coke in can. While Mikan bought pasta, sandwich and juice.

When I was looking for a place to sit, the empty table in the middle caught my eye. I was about to sit there when Mikan suddenly pulled me away again.

"Why do you keep on dragging me?" I snapped at her.

"Look around you," she whispered nervously.

I rolled my eyes and did what she said.

I frowned. Why do they have a bad look at me? What did I do? Can someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?

We sat at the far end on the left. "What's with those weird stares?" I asked when we sat down.

She looks at me in disbelief. "You really don't know yet?"

My forehead creased. Besides the fact that Butler Lin gave me a tour of the entire academy earlier and gave me a bracelet, he didn't mention anything else.

"Don't know what? Hello? Newbie here!" I irritably said to her.

She looks at me seriously. "Listen carefully, okay?"

I nod at her.

She took a deep breath before she continued.

"Because the seat you intended to take earlier is reserved for the children of the owner of the academy, including their cousins and friends. So, if you still value your life, don't make the mistake of sitting there." She looked around before bringing her face closer to mine.

"Also, do not touch anything here that is exclusively for them. People here will gang up on you. Students here treat those siblings as a prince and princess, as well as their cousins and friends. All six of them are respected here. So, the number one rule here is to never get on their bad side," she calmly and slowly explained to me.

My brow raised.

Respected? They think too much of themselves. I don't care if they're the son or daughter of the President or even of a King from a far away land. My point is that all of us here are just the same- we are all just students and people. There must be equality here!

"Have you seen them?" I asked curiously. In truth, it is still hard to believe what she said. I didn't think there was anything like them in real life.

A prince and princess? We don't have such in our country.

Suddenly, her eyes sparkled.

"Yeah! They're so awesome! They're so beautiful and handsome! They often get a perfect score in exams and quizzes. They also know how to use different kinds of instruments and even love sports." She pouted.

"It's just that I've only seen the prince once because he doesn't study here right now."

I winced. Even though I haven't seen them yet, it felt like I never wanted to meet them already.

She started eating while I didn't say a word. I'm still trying to process in my brain all the new information I learned.

What is this place I transfer into? Is this really a school?

But she said something that caught my attention. "Why isn't that supposed prince studying here?" She immediately covered my mouth with her hand.

I briskly removed her hand. "What are you doing?" I glared at her.

She just gave me a peace sign. "We don't talk about them like that. Especially him. Someone might hear you," she whispered.

I let out a deep sigh before starting to eat again.

I didn't care. So what if they heard what I said?

I never thought she was ever going to answer my question. So, I was surprised when she suddenly spoke again.

"Honestly, no one even knows why. But I heard that he will be studying here this year." Her voice was filled with excitement.

I just shook my head when I suddenly looked at the bracelet she was wearing that was the same as mine. "Last question," I said while she was murdering her pasta.

"Spill it."

"What's on with that bracelet?" I asked while pointing at it.

Suddenly she stopped eating and looked at it. "They say that it's for protection. I've been wearing it for five years now, so I'm used to it already."

"But don't you find it weird? If the students here are required to wear that, why don't most of us have that? The biggest question is protection for what?"

She shrugged. "Honestly, that's what I thought at first. But I didn't know anything else strange about it. All I know is, whoever gets it is required to wear it all the time. That is one of the major rules here that all of us who have this has to follow."

Her face suddenly became serious before her gaze dropped to my wrist. "Do you have this one too?" She's now looking at my eyes directly.

I met her gaze. "Yeah. And I don't have any plans to wear it until I discover the truth behind it," I said with finality, then stood up and left her.

***

Ever since I left Mikan in the dining hall earlier, she hasn't spoken to me again.

Which is a good thing. My world is more peaceful, and I can finally think straight now.

When our last class for today has finally ended, I was the first one who stormed out of the room. I didn't even manage to even look at Mikan.

I've been thinking about it for a while, and now I've decided.

This academy has lots of mysteries and secrets. And I will not allow myself not to find out about them.

My first destination- the forest.

I got here safely because there was no one else around. If they really forbid an entry here it should at least have a guard or at least a barrier.

But there was none. The whole area was wide open, and the atmosphere was so inviting.

I started to walk into the forest. I didn't see anything else around other than trees, plants and different kinds of flowers. Only the sound of the wind and the chirping of birds could be heard. There are also many small trees, branches and stones scattered everywhere I passed. I just walked straight, so I wouldn't get lost.

I turned my back. I could still see the academy from here. But I knew I had come a long way.

I looked down at my wristwatch. It was already 5:00 pm. It was still early, after all. But because of the tall trees, it blocked the little light that entered the forest, making my surroundings darker.

I sighed deeply. I was thinking twice whether I should continue or not. It looked like I had nothing to gain from this.

A few minutes had passed, and I finally decided to go back. But when I was about to turn my back, I tripped on a rock in front of me. I noticed that something was flashing in front of me. But I just didn't pay attention to it. I slowly stood up and when I looked up I saw something...

House? Oh. Scratch that. It's more like a mansion!

But wait. In the middle of the forest inside the academy? Seriously?

I was even more confused. I didn't see anything like that while walking earlier.

Until I realized that I was slowly getting closer to it. When I stopped right in front of it, I looked up in amazement and observed its entirety.

It looked like it went up to the fourth floor and there was a veranda at the very top. It was also surrounded by huge windows that were covered by long curtains from the inside. There were also two pillars in front and the door in the middle.

Who actually lived here? Academy staff? Because Butler Lin told me earlier that the entire academy still covers this inner forest.

But the joy and wonder I was feeling suddenly changed to fear and trepidation when a strong wind blows and someone spoke from behind me.

"Who are you and how the hell did you enter here?"