"Captain!!!!" Kazuki yelled while running towards me with Yukiko. "What's wrong why are you both running ?" I asked Kazuki and Yukiko who were catching their breath. "Captain let's celebrate our victory!!" Kazuki said with confidence. They both looked at me star eyed. Both of them seemed really excited. "Pleaseeeee captain" they both pleaded. "Fine" I said. "Yesss let's go and get the others!" Yukiko said excited as Kazuki nodded in agreement. They both left and came back with the other members. "I knew the captain would say yes, she's not that cold hearted now is she?" Sora told everyone else. "Don't make me change my mind" I said as we all walked to a restaurant for celebration. "Shut up idiot" Yukiko told Sora.

We all enjoyed the celebration. Everyone seemed really happy. Our squad had been selected by the queen herself and had selected us for the selection of royal knights. Each year there is a selection exam in the "Aetheria kingdom". People from across the kingdom come to take the selection exams to become knights. While people take exams to become knights at this time of the year we knights at higher ranks are selected with our squads to become royal knights. Each squad from every town each year.

"Kaguya?" I snapped out of my thoughts as Ryota-san's voice pierced through my thoughts. "Ryota-san I didn't know you were here"
"I wanted to congratulate you, I didn't get the chance to do that before due to my mission. You deserve it"
Ryota-san's words seemed genuine and kind. He was a kind man who helped me a lot through my journey to get here he was also the commander of knights of our town. "Thank you Ryota-san I really appreciate it"
"Did you say your goodbyes?" He asked me while standing beside me.
"Who is there to say goodbye to?"
"Well that is true...but aren't I here ?" He let out a small chuckle as my lips curled into a small smile.
"Well I'll miss you"
"We will miss our best knight as well"
I chuckle at his sentence. "Goodnight Ryota-san I should go home now"
"Goodnight and good luck there"
"Thank you" I say leaving for my house, I walk across the silent streets of the town there was nothing but silence there was no one there no sight of a person other than me. There was only darkness and the street lamps glowing. The cold breeze blowing at midnight, walking in silence with no one around brought a sense of comfort to me. Maybe I won't get to live this moment again. Instead of walking directly home I walked to the park and sat down there at the park bench enjoying the silence. "It hasn't been silent for so long" I whisper to myself. "It's nice to have a moment by myself" it was a feeling I didn't feel for much longer than I thought.

I met my squad members outside the entrance of the town where we were all prepared to leave. They all came excited and sad. Leaving their families at the town was a hard thing for them. "Stop crying Kazuki" I told Kazuki who wouldn't stop weeping. "Captain how can you be so cold hearted" he whinnied. "If you don't want to come then say it I'll have someone else take your position"
"NOOO I'LL STOP" he immediately stopped whining.
Yukiko and Sora started to laugh loudly seeing Kazuki's reaction. "You know how to handle him very well captain" Yukiko chuckled while speaking her sentence.
"Now now stop making fun of him" Kanae asked politely.
"Kanae you're too nice" Sora commented while chuckling.
"Stop messing around already and let's go we're leaving" I spoke annoyed.
"Don't disappoint me there" I added while getting on the vehicle.
Everyone nodded seriously and we were set off to the main city.

"Hoshikawa Kaguya" a man with a deep voice speaks his voice in a mocking yet a greeting tone.
"Yamada Ito" I replied to him in a cold tone.
"It's great to see you, but also very surprising, I definitely did not expect to see you here."
"I see" I replied in a flat tone.
"This guy looks very annoying to have around" Yukiko whispers to Kanae.
"I would hate to agree but for him? definitely"
"Oh wow the sweet and kind kanae finally agrees with me"
"Lets go everyone" I command my squad and move in the opposite direction than him.
"He looked annoying" Yukiko commented.
"He does only look annoying but is very annoying" I say almost pissed.
"I was right then!" Yukiko exalted.
"We're going to stay in the main city for a day then we'll move to the royal palace"
I tell my squad members.
"Then we'll officially be royal knights?" Shinjiro exclaimed.
"Yes we will be after the queen officially names us"
Everyone cheered in excitement. We stayed in the hotel of the main city. "I guess they had already booked our rooms for us" Shinjiro commented.
"Of course they did, idiot" Yukiko replied to him.
"So we're going to see the city right?"
"Hell yeah what even are we gonna do at our hotel room the whole day anyways" Sora replied to Shinjiro in excitement.
"Captain are you coming?" Kanae asks me happily. Even though they all looked excited for me to come.

I didn't want to ruin their fun with my cold personality. "No you all go and enjoy I have work here".
"Are you sure captain it'll be fun" Yukiko asked.
"No it's alright" I assure them again.
"Okay join us when you're done captain".
They all left to have their fun as I walked outside for some peace of mind. I walked across many squads from another town for royal knights they all looked like they were having fun. It kind of made me regret my decision to refuse to go with my squad members.

I really don't show much interest in things and usually remain cold, nothing in particular but as I walked my attention was caught by a man who looked around my age. He had dark black hair just like mine, his hazel eyes caught more of my attention, a unique blend of earthly browns and subtle greens that hinted at mystery and warmth, his soft smile that looked somehow mesmerizing.
He was kneeling down to help a kid who looked like he hurt himself. The sight of him looked somewhat mesmerizing. I don't know why but this particular man had caught my attention just like that. As I stood there staring at him he caught me staring at him. I immediately looked away when his eyes met mine.
"Do I know you?" He spoke looking in my direction
"Me?" I asked confused
"Yes, you look oddly familiar"
"No I'm meeting you for the first time" now that I think of it, it did really feel like I've met him before, but where ? Have I met him in my childhood ? It was very confusing but I kept my cool.
"Are you here for the royal knights selection as well?" He asks looking at my appearance.
"Oh yes are you a knight as well?" I didn't expect this man to be a knight as well by the way he looked but something about him was also dark and mysterious so it made sense as well.
"Yes I'm here for the selection with my squad"
"I see, well good luck"
"Thank you, good luck to you as well, I need to go now my squad members will be waiting for me, it was nice meeting you I hope we meet again." his voice seemed really deep and his tone was calm. This man was really something.
"Yea me too" the moment I finish my sentence he runs away to his squad members. I didn't even get to know his name.

It was almost sunset, I went back to my hotel room and laid down on my bed. I closed my eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.
When I woke up it was already past 12 am. I woke up to the feeling of someone watching me that felt really odd when I woke up and found no one not even when I checked around even outside my room or window. I decided to let it slide since it only happened once but now I was on my guard. I went outside to take some fresh air. There were very few people outside maybe people here went to their homes early. The streets there weren't noisy and annoying it was pleasant being there especially at night. The sky looked mesmerizing tonight while walking on the streets I found a girl crying in an alley alone.

"Are you lost?" I asked the girl who was crying in the alley. The alley looked dark and dangerous it did not look safe for a child to be there.
"N-no" the girl looked scared and looked like she hadn't been taken care of for days. "No one's going to hurt you. What's your name?" I lowered myself to my knees to face her. She looked frightened.
"My name's Yuki" she told me her name hesitantly, she looked nervous. "Yuki like the snow ?" I smiled at her.
"Snow?" Yuki asked tilting her head in curiosity.
"Mhm Yuki means snow" I spoke cheerfully hoping to make the child feel safe. Her eyes light up, "really?"
I nod my head at her question.
"Are your parents around?" I asked Yuki who seemed to have calmed down. "I don't have any"
"Ohh it's okay, don't worry do you have anywhere to go ?"
"No" she looked down with tears in her eyes again.
"Don't worry I'm sure I can help you in some way. Come with me I'll take you to the child services"
"No!" She suddenly yelled and refused to move. "What's wrong?"

"I won't go there. They all are horrible!"

"I did but they were mean and they didn't even take care of us."

"What?!?" I was shocked to hear something like this about the main city's services. I thought they were perfect. Then what is this? Why are they so irresponsible? And mistreating a child? That was an absurd crime. I was pissed off at the services of the city but I did not want to scare Yuki she was already frightened. "Okay you can come with me okay? I won't let you get hurt hm?"

I asked her gently if she wanted to come with me. "You're not going to hurt me ?" She asked me her eyes saying she doesn't want the same treatment again. "No, no one will hurt you or mistreat you okay?" I gave her a reassuring smile. I didn't want her to stay on the streets in this cold. She reminded me of myself I wasn't homeless yet just like her I had no one.
"I'll get good food too?".
"They didn't give you good food either ?" I felt so sorry for her. She didn't deserve this.
"of course you'll get anything you want"
Her eyes immediately lit up. I smiled seeing her reaction.
"Right now? Can we go now?" Yuki seemed really excited now. I chuckled seeing her in excitement.
"Yes we can let's go" she walked with me to my hotel room happily. "I'm staying here right now but we'll move somewhere else later"
"Move?" She looked confused.
"Mhm all knights here have to move to the royal palace tomorrow"
She looked shocked.
"Knights!? Royal palace?!" She seemed shocked yet excited to hear that.
"Yes knights" I was amused at her reaction.
"Will I come with you?" She looked very excited.
"Yes you will" I was hesitant at first but I considered it after seeing her reaction.
"So you're a knight. Can you do cool magic stuff?"
She looked at me in curiosity and excitement.
"Yes I can"
"Show me!" She seemed very excited to see magic.
With my nature control I created a tiny snowman and placed it in her palms. She looked awestruck seeing that.
"That's so cool!!"
I chuckled at her reaction.
"I've prepared clothes for you to go and change into them and take a bath to warm yourself up it was cold outside. It's late but I'll prepare food for you too".
"Reallyyyy? Thank you so much" she seemed like a really cheerful child. I felt really bad she had to be abandoned like that. I'm glad I found her. She happily skipped off to the bathroom. As I prepared dinner for her.
I woke up and found Yuki at the balcony of the apartment. She looked lost looking outside while it snowed.
"Yuki?"
She snapped out of her trance and looked at me.
"I was just looking at snow"

"It's okay but it's cold you should come inside and you can look from inside or you'll catch a cold."
I asked her in a gentle tone. She nodded and went back inside. She looked outside through the glass door of the balcony.

It was 12:00 pm and I was inside the hotel room with Yuki as I heard a knock on my door.
"Captain!!" Yukiko yelled on the other side of the door.
I opened the door and saw Yukiko standing there excited. "Yukiko stop yelling and what's with the look?"
"You're hiding a child aren't you?!?"
"Huh?" Before I could say anything further she barged inside with me left standing at the door. Yuki was playing and looking outside at the snow when she saw Yukiko enter and stare at her in awe.
"You're so cute" Yukiko squeals seeing Yuki.
Yuki looked scared of her and came and hid behind me. "Yukiko you're scaring her".
"Come on I'm not gonna hurt you" she whines.
"Who's this weird looking lady?" I heard a BIG huh after Yuki finishes her sentence. "I'm weird?" Yukiko speaks in a wobbly tone.
"Stop being so dramatic"
"But captain" she whined again.
"Yuki she's not going to hurt you she's a good person" after listening to my comment Yuki finally came out of hiding. "Your name is yuki? Mines Yukiko"
"Do you like snow?"
"Oh I love snow"
"Then I like you, you're my new friend!" Yuki says cheerfully.

The things I had heard about the main city's services were all a lie. How exactly do they treat the people here? Why was Yuki treated this way. I don't understand the system here. Why were lies spread in the first place? I wanted justice for Yuki but at the same time I was in no position to do anything right now, the only thing I could do was help Yuki and give her a better home. That was all I could do.
We had arrived at the royal palace. We were escorted to meet the queen. I left Yuki with my squad members since only captains were called.

We were presented before the queen "Ayame kyara"
She looked like a kind and reliable woman.
As I was going back to my room I passed by the man I met in the city. He was here ? And he was also a captain?

Each royal knight was meant to serve the queen, So every knight that was promoted to a royal knight was to stay at the Aetheria kingdom from then on.
But one thing I knew for sure was that I did not get a good feeling when I entered the palace; it felt like I was entering a dark labyrinth of secrets, where every corridor whispered with concealed malice. The imposing gates loomed ahead, as if guarding not just the queen's residence but something far more ominous.