Rebirth: Childhood friend of the heroine

"What happened so suddenly that she left?" Celestria asked softly, her eyes filled with concern as she stirred awake from her nap.

The carriage rocked gently as it rolled toward the capital. Morning light still spilled through the windows, but something felt missing. Jullie.

Earlier that day, Alex had told them Jullie would join them later. Naturally, everyone was surprised. Her decision had come out of nowhere.

But Sarah already knew the truth.

'She just needed time... time to figure out her feelings.'

That's what Jullie had relayed before they parted. 'She said she'd meet us again before we leave the capital.'

Alex, lying comfortably with his head resting on Sarah's lap, repeated the same thing now. "She'll catch up with us later. She just needed a little space."

Everyone, except for Alice, understood what that meant. Jullie had been distant lately, carefully holding herself back whenever she was near Alex. It was the kind of distance that only came from someone trying not to fall any deeper.

No one spoke after that. They simply respected her choice, letting the silence speak for them.

After a quiet moment, Celestria asked, "Are we going home first, or heading straight to Fairyland?"

"Alice needs proper rest—seven hours on a real bed," Natasha answered firmly. She held Alice gently in her arms, brushing a hand over the girl's hair. Alice had barely said a word since waking up, still lost in a sleepy haze.

"If you're planning to go straight to the amusement park or whatever it is, we'll stay behind at the capital."

Alex shook his head. "No, you're right. We all need rest. And I want to visit my father-in-law anyway. We'll spend the night at the capital and head to Fairyland tomorrow."

Fairyland was only about four hours from the capital, but they'd already been on the road for half a day. This trip wasn't supposed to be training or a mission—it was meant to be fun. So, instead of rushing, Alex chose to slow down.

"Hey, Alex," Rebecca spoke up, leaning forward a little, her voice laced with curiosity. "You used to live in the capital, right?"

Alex nodded, not really sure where she was going with that.

A wide grin spread across Rebecca's face, her sharp canines peeking through. "Show me your favorite places. And I also wanna see your old house."

Alex tilted his head with a small smile. "I was a pretty boring kid. You might be disappointed."

"Doesn't matter," Rebecca said with a playful shrug. "I just want to see where you grew up."

Celestria chuckled gently, a knowing smile on her lips. "Well, I can help with that. Before the rest of you showed up, I was the one who spent the most time with Alex."

She said it with a proud, teasing tone—half-joking, half-claiming her place in his story.

---------**---------

Soon, the carriage rolled to a gentle stop, its wheels crunching softly against the cobbled road. Alex was the first to step down, followed closely by the others.

He stretched his arms high above his head, then rolled his shoulders and twisted his neck with a quiet sigh. His muscles ached, and the lack of sleep from the night before was finally catching up to him.

"You all go ahead," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll take care of the payment and join you in a bit."

Celestria gave a small nod and turned to lead the group. The others followed her without question, their footsteps light as they chatted quietly among themselves.

Alex walked around to the front of the carriage and handed a small pouch to the driver. "Thanks for the ride. This should cover everything."

The driver beamed and gave a respectful bow as he took the pouch, completely unaware that instead of silver coins, it was filled with gold.

As the carriage rolled away, Alex turned to follow the others—but stopped in his tracks.

Standing just a few steps ahead was someone he hadn't expected to see.

"Your Highness… Prince Ryan."

Celestria's older brother. The First Prince of the kingdom.

The last time Alex saw him was months ago when Ryan visited the academy to personally reward him for his bravery. He had brought along a set of finely crafted swords—gifts of honor and recognition.

…Alex had already broken more than half of them, though.

"It's been a while, Alex," Prince Ryan said, his voice warm with familiarity. "I was out in the garden when I saw your carriage pull in."

His eyes briefly scanned Alex, then he raised his brows with a small smile. "You've changed… You look much stronger than the last time we met."

It wasn't just the broader shoulders or the more defined build. There was something else—a quiet intensity beneath the surface. A presence that hadn't been there before.

The awkward, bookish boy had become a warrior. One who carried weight in every step, and purpose in every breath.

As they started walking side by side toward the palace, Ryan asked casually, "So, how's everything going?"

Alex gave a tired, half-smile. "Training. And more training. That's pretty much all I've been doing lately."

Ryan chuckled softly and nodded. "Understandable. Ever since that message descended… people across the human realm have started looking to you and Edric as our hope."

There was no need to explain which message. They both knew.

The sky itself had opened to deliver it. And the world has changed ever since.

After a short pause, Prince Ryan spoke again. "I heard you went to the Beast Realm recently."

Alex's expression shifted at the mention. His voice turned sharp with curiosity. "Have you received any messages from that domain lately?"

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "No… why? Did something happen there?"

Alex hesitated. His lips parted as if to explain, but instead, he just gave a slow nod. "You could say that."

Ryan didn't push. The look in Alex's eyes said there was more to the story, but now wasn't the time. Instead, he shifted the conversation.

"Well, speaking of news—Mister Akron sent a letter to the Blood Domain yesterday," he said, his tone growing lighter. "He's asking for your presence."

Alex blinked in surprise. "All of a sudden? Why?"

Ryan smiled knowingly. "Sounds like he's finally finished the equipment you asked for."

Alex's eyes widened with excitement. Of course—how could he forget? The sword. The one he'd been waiting for all this time.

"Where is he now? Can I go see him?" Alex asked quickly, unable to hide the spark in his voice.

"He's probably in his workshop," Ryan said, then smirked a little. "But knowing him, he's most likely asleep right now."

He paused, then offered a gentler suggestion. "How about you rest for a bit and meet him this evening?"

Alex considered it. As much as he wanted to run there right away, he knew how Akron was. Interrupting him at the wrong time could backfire.

"Yeah… you're right," he nodded. "I'll do that."

-------**-------

"Hey, Mom."

Lady Lockwood was in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, carefully mixing ingredients in a large bowl. The smell of something sweet already lingered in the air when her younger daughter stepped in.

"Yes, sweetie?" she replied gently, not looking up from her work.

Amanda leaned casually against the counter, watching her mother for a moment before speaking. "Is Dad okay? He's been… different ever since those church people came by."

Lady Lockwood paused for just a second—barely noticeable—then continued stirring. "Hmm… what makes you say that?"

"I don't know. Just a feeling," Amanda said quietly, her eyes narrowing slightly in thought. "I was here when they came. I heard them talking with him. And when I asked, he just said they were asking about the Saintess."

Lady Lockwood finally looked up, her expression calm but curious. Amanda's voice was low and cautious like she wasn't sure if it was okay to say what she was thinking.

"Ever since that whole thing with Alex at the Cathedral… I don't really trust them anymore," Amanda added, her voice tightening. "Even if my own sister's part of them."

Lady Lockwood set the bowl down slowly, then wiped her hands on her apron and walked over to her daughter.

She placed a gentle hand on Amanda's cheek. "It's okay to feel that way. What happened back then… it shook all of us."

Amanda met her mother's eyes. "Do you think they're hiding something?"

A soft sigh left Lady Lockwood's lips. "I think… there are things they don't tell the world. And maybe your father is trying to make sense of something he's not ready to share yet."

Amanda didn't say anything for a moment. Just nodded.

"Your dad's a strong man," her mother added quietly. "But even strong people get shaken sometimes."

At that time, neither of them expected what seed the church members had sown in the Count's head.

And how it will affect Sarah's relationship with her family.

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. I was tempted to drop this story and write a new one. But then I thought, it was only forty or so chapters away from ending…so why not finish it?