CHAPTER 25: HUNGER

Anna looked at Damien for a few moments and questioned.

"Do you know how he died?’

Damien replied while shaking his head.

"I don’t. I only know that he was on a mission at that time."

"What should I do?" Anna asked Damien with a determined look on her face

Damien held her gaze and spoke with a slight chuckle.

"Just focus on getting stronger. There’s not much you can do to help with this."

Anna looked at Damien and nodded. A few moments later, she spoke.

"So, what should I do to get stronger?"

"Hmm? Have you not thought of anything about that?" Damien questioned, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

’I wonder what she is going to say now...’ he thought.

"I have..." Anna spoke as she lowered her head.

"Hmm. Tell me about it." Damien asked, still as curious as before.

"I think that I should join The Star Council."

When Damien heard that, a frown appeared on his face as he tilted his head and questioned.

"What?"

"I mean, isn’t it one of the strongest, if not the strongest, faction in the world? What other place can help me get stronger faster than that? After all, they know the most about the Midnighters."

"It can be dangerous for you," Damien said in a stern tone.

"I know..." Anna replied with a lowered head.

"As I said before, it’s not that simple, Anna." Damien said with a solemn expression that said, ’I won’t let you do as you like.’

"I understand that, but brother..."

"No. Once again, you think you do—but you don’t. Not yet"

"Brother..."

Anna lowered her head and started to clench and unclench her fists. Soon she took a deep breath and let out a sigh.

"Hah..."

"I have to do it, brother. For me. For you. For all of us. I can’t stay as a princess if I don’t want to feel like I did that day... please don’t take away this opportunity from me." Anna spoke as her eyes burned with determination. Her voice unknowingly turned authoritative instead of persuasive at the end.

’I can feel it. The Hunger of strength... looks like she is not a kid anymore, heh?"

Damien stood up from his chair and ordered

"Follow me"

Anna nodded once as she too stood up from the bed and started to follow him.

As she walked out of the room, a lavender blue-walled hallway came into view. The walls were adorned with various antiques and paintings. Stars, crescents, and moon-shaped carvings could be seen at the top and bottom of the wall. The hallway looked like something out of a fantasy novel. Damien’s steps echoed within the lavender blue walls as he made his way to the garden in front of the villa.

As soon as they reached the garden, Damien asked.

"You remember all of those combat and self-defence classes, yes?"

"Yes," Anna replied with a straight back.

"Then let’s put it to the test," Damien said with a small grin on his face.

"W-what?! N-no way. How can I fight you?" Anna said in shock and disbelief when she heard Damien’s suggestion

’Does he want to kill me or something?’ She thought, but did not voice her thoughts

"HAHA!" Damien started to burst into laughter

"No. You won’t train with me. You are too weak for that."

"Hah..." Anna heaved a sigh when she heard that. Her face suddenly turned into a frown as she replayed Damien’s words in her mind.

’You are too weak for that.’

Soon, however, she shook her head and regained her resolve once more.

’Yeah... I just have to work hard to get stronger.’

"Then who?" She questioned as determination burned in her eyes, however

"White. Train with Anna," Damien called out.

"W-what?!" Anna blurted out

"Hmm?"

"How can I fight with n-" Anna suddenly placed her hands on her mouth, stopping the words from leaving her mouth.

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

Damien and White tilted their heads in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Damien questioned.

"N-Nothing," Anna said as she shook her head in embarrassment.

"Then get ready," Damien spoke in a stern tone.

"Yes," Anna said and walked towards a clearing within the garden.

White walked and stood before.

"Ready?" Damien asked.

"Yes!" Anna replied while White just nodded his head.

"Begin!"

As soon as Damien said so, Anna ran towards White, trying to get an upper hand from the start; however, just as she was about to hit White, He sidestepped and—

*Bam*

—landed a punch right on her abdomen.

"Ugh!!" Anna fell down and started to cough as spit flew out of her mouth. She looked up and saw White standing in front of her while holding his hands behind his back.

"Again!" Anna said as she stood up and once again tried to hit a punch on White, and same as before, White sidestepped and—

*Bam*

—landed a kick to her side

Anna once again fell to her knees, but she soon stood up and said, "Again!"

This exchange continued for a few more times until Anna was lying on the ground as she was breathing heavily, and all of her clothes were wet with sweat.

Anna turned to look at White, who was leaning beside a tree. He was the same as before. He was neither breathing heavily nor were his clothes wet with sweat.

"Argh," Anna exclaimed in annoyance.

Damien, who was looking at all of this, was deep in thought.

’Even though it might look like she was beaten one-handedly, which she was. But her progress is nearly as good as White’s when he was younger.’

Damien looked at Anna with complicated eyes. Even though he was happy with Anna’s progress, he still couldn’t accept letting Anna become part of the Midnighters’ world.

"Hah," Damien heaved a sigh and walked towards Anna.

"Let’s go. We will continue this from tomorrow." Damien said as he helped Anna to stand up.

Damien and Anna walked through the beautiful garden towards the villa’s entrance.

____

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