"No!" Kana said flatly, causing both Ceilie and Tilia to look at her in shock. Tilia burst into tears with Kana's quick answer. Ceilie was still trying to figure out why Kana was being so mean. But when she thought about how Kana disliked humans, she wondered if Kana was only being nice this entire time just because she made a promise. But before Ceilie could ask, Kana continued: "Tilia, we are friends, so we can see each other any time we please. We may not be able to live with you, but that is because Ceilie and I need to grow stronger. I still need to level up so one day I can cast cool spells. Plus, I will be going to the academy soon. I want to learn new things and experience new things that I have never had the chance to experience. Each one of us has a path we need to tread. Yours is here in this castle while Ceilie and myself have our path outside the castle walls."
Kana got up from the couch and walked over to Tilia, and gave her a hug. "For a human, you are not bad. You care for those around you no matter what race they are. You never treated Ceilie and me badly. We are friends for life. Sisters of a different blood. Are we not?"
Ceilie, Tilia, and even Lysairth were all in a daze. Was this not the little gullible dragon who would do weird things? When did she become a scholar!? Although these were the thoughts of the three, Kana was talking from her heart. These were the things she wished to do in her new life. Although she liked Tilia and was her friend, she could not stay by Tilia's side forever.
Tilia took a deep breath and wiped her tears. She took in everything Kana just said and found that Kana's words were true. Everyone had their own path, and hers was here in the castle, getting ready to fight against her own homeland to stop the evil that has consumed her people from spreading. Tilia's eyes showed a new resolve. "You are right! I am sorry. We all have our own paths. I knew this from the start. I had become spoiled the past few days and have lost sight of what matters. As you said, we are friends. No, we are sisters! From this day forward, I swear that if either of you are in need of help, I will rush to your side. Although I am human, I hope we can see each other as family."
"Then to my two little sisters!" Ceilie got up and hugged both Kana and Tilia. The girls laughed and talked until dinner.
Kana, Ceilie, and Tilia all entered a large hall with a long luxurious table with a white cloth with many kinds of dishes displayed on top of it. On the ceiling hung three chandeliers that had magilight stones embedded into the fixture lighting up the room. At the head of the table, Claine was already sitting and waiting. Next to him, on his right, was one empty seat, while on his left, there were two empty seats. On the side of the table were many more seats, which were filled with what seemed to be the queen and concubines, along with the princesses and princes of the kingdom.
A maid came up to Kana and the rest and bowed her head as she said: "This way, please."
Kana was led to the seat on the right of Claine while Tilia and Ceilie sat on his left. This showed just how much Claine valued Kana, Ceilie, and Tilia. "Tonight, we feast to honor the arrival of our honored guests and to welcome a new member to the royal family."
Claine looked at his queen and concubines, who all smiled at him faintly and then at his sons and daughters. Some of which were not looking at him but at Tilia with cold gazes. This made him frown. "Let me make one thing clear before we start eating. Tilia is now my daughter. This makes her my queen's daughter and your sister. If I catch anyone discriminating against her because she is a human, I will not hesitate to strip you of your nobility and kick you out of this castle. You have no idea how hard it was for her to come here and ask to defect to our kingdom. She has come to aid us in our upcoming battles against her own homeland. So please be mindful of how you treat her."
"Mmm… If anyone makes Tilia cry, I will roast them." Kana said as she began stuffing her cheeks with meat.
Claine looked over at Kana, who was now busy eating, not caring for the shocked stares she was receiving, and laughed out loud. "Hahaha! Right, if anyone makes her cry, Kana here will roast you."
Claine's family all gulped. They could see the little girl next to him who was in the highest seat of honor was getting special treatment. She was able to threaten the king's own family and was not sentenced to death which meant that the little girl was not someone they could mess with. All thoughts they had to torment Tilia were quickly squashed. Kana had no idea that she had just kept Tilia from having a horrible time in the castle with her single sentence.
After their meal, the girls all got ready for bed and laid down next to each other. Tilia slept in the middle and held hands with both Cielie and Kana. They talked through half the night before falling asleep. If one were to look down from above at the three girls sleeping peacefully with smiles on their faces, they would think that these three girls of different races were truly of one family—sisters of the same blood.
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