~Recap~

The man then places a kiss over Azura's forehead and starts leaving while reminding his daughter, “And do let me know if you're unable to sleep or something. I can sit next to you the whole night if needed.”

Azura giggles childishly. “Yes, Daddy.”

Frederick rolls his eyes and finally disappears.

It wasn't as if Azura's smile faded instantly with Frederick because her glee was genuine. She was actually content by the unconditional care given by her father. However, she somewhat had to coat it overly to hide her fear that she still had inside her mind and heart.

Well, of course she was convinced that the incident that happened in the woods might be a sober nightmare. But part of her heart was still screaming that it was there, in the woods. It was true. It was a wolf.

She saw a wolf.

______

“Azura! Azura, wake up sweetie. You'll be late for your class if you don't get ready already.”

Azura hears her father yelling from downstairs. She didn't even realise that it was already morning. It felt as if she just closed her eyes a moment ago and next she knew it was daylight.

She didn't even have any kind of discomfort or disturbance while sleeping. As if nothing happened at all. Though, it could be possible that she was extremely tired so that she slept hazily.

Well, either way, Azura had a good slumber, meaning this day would probably go well. In fact, she could still sleep more for hours!

“Azura!”

But she better not!

“Yes, Dad. Coming down quickly!”

______

“Here's your breakfast, and here are your two boxes of lunch.” Frederick keeps the mealbox on the table while serving Azura ready to eat meals as well.

The lady takes a quick bite after bite and finishes it real soon. The man was widening his eyes in confusion. Azura looked more energetic and hyped in a positive way today than she looked all that but in a concerning way.

“Done. Now I'm leaving, Dad. See you…” Azura bids her farewell after carrying her bag pack and meal box.

Just as she was about to dash out of the house, Frederick calls for her. “Azura, wait.”

She stops on her track and looks at her father questioningly. Frederick motions at something resting over the couch which seems to be a little stick. Frederick begins speaking, “Since you didn't let me come to protect you…” He takes the stick type of thing and forwards it towards Azura. “I got you something that you may spare to protect yourself on your own. And not just protect, but can attack as well.”

“So, you're saying that this tiny rod is gonna be my protector?” Blurts Azura.

“Tiny? No. Rod, definitely not. And just a protector?” The man chuckles sarcastically and the young woman pouts. “This is a pretty, lifesaving, portable spear. Well, you can call it a shapeshifting spear, too.”

The rod indeed shifted into a sharp and shuddering spear when the hook on its tip was pulled off. It looked like a traditional combat tool with advanced technology. Azura was amazed.

“Did you make it yourself, Dad?” Asks Azura, disrupting Frederick's self praising. Or more like, self bragging.

He chuckles, “Oh, yeah. I wasn't able to sleep, thinking about how distressed you were last day. So I decided to utilise my time and came up with this.”

“Well, this looks absolutely brace and bold. As if I'm a warrior already.” Compliments the lady as she poses herself with the equipment.

Another chuckle comes out of the man's mouth. “Your father is also an uncredited engineer, you know.”

“Then I'm gonna credit you as an official one now.” Jolts the lady as the duo breaks into laughter in unison. Then Azura adds. “Thanks for this, Dad. I'm actually now excited to face some of them and spear apart.”

“Well, excitement and confidence is all good but I hope there won't be any such scenario. Overall, don't be scared and take care.”

“No. I won't be scared, Dad. I'm not scared. Not anymore.”

______

Soon after leaving the home, Azura arrives at the college and expectedly, Theo standing broadly to welcome his extremely lovely and only friend.

“Good morning, Theo.” Azura cheers a little too energetically and Theo gets confused.

“What is up with you? You look… Really vitalized today.”

”Oh, that's not how you greet back to a charming greeting.” Azura retorts in a playful manner. She then adds further. “You get worried when something's down with me. Now you get worried when something's up with me. Like, you got no chill.”

Chuckling at the lady's claim, Theo proceeds to correct her statement. “I get worried when you're down, yes. But I get curious when you're up. And right now, I'm curious to know if what got you so high in the sky.”

Honestly, Azura herself doesn't know as to what energized her a lot since the morning. When she just experienced a horrible illusion the day before.

It felt as if she had a really contented dream instead. Despite being heart wrenching, Azura could feel something positive about it. Which she couldn't figure, but only feel. “Right.”

“What do you mean by right? What's right about it, Azura?”

Theo's question takes Azura out from her fiddling reverie and she flares an odd smile towards him. “It's right because I'm right next to you. Isn't it?”

The man raises his eyebrow in a skeptical way. “You're being weird today.” Theo comments.

“Which I am like, everyday. No?” Azura retorts and the man just rolls his eyes.

Soon after, the lady begins stepping ahead towards the class and Theo notices a thread chain hanging out of Azura's bag. Now he gets perplexed even more.

“Hey, what is this?” Perks the man as he almost snatched the thread out. Almost because he couldn't really get it done. His hand was gripped midway by Azura. Though, Azura snapping onto his wrist like that wasn't the thing that shocked him. The thing that had him stunned was how Azura sensed that he was going to snatch on her bag? How did she know it already without even looking back?

Was something actually down with Azura? Or as the lady said herself, was something actually up with her? Either way, something was different. Something was doubtful.