Shining Star: Part Five

Shining Star: Part Five

In the middle the Relax Section, an immense public park offered students a rare escape from the chaos of academy life.

At its heart, mirrored in the surface of a small lake, stood the towering silhouette of the Class S Tower—the Class S’s dormitory/classroom. At its base was Anicet, dressed in a casual attire—his own definition of casual—quietly admiring the statues that adorned the building’s facade.

The structure featured twelve floors—plus an attic—each divided into three sections—the first-year complex, the second-year complex, and the third-year complex—and along each floor’s walls were thirty-six lancet windows showcasing at their center hyperrealistic sculptures of legendary historical figures from the Fiefdom after which the corresponding floor was named. The statues aligned with the main entrance depicted the Twelve Holy Heroes.

Hero Mario’s statue stood on the ground floor, above the entrance door and beneath the sculpture of SS-Class ’Nostalgic Reactionary’ King Nagoe I Cosmatern. The first Despot over a Starless Night had his dread-filled eyes cast upward, likely admiring the source of both his joy and sorrow on the second-to-last floor—SS-Class ’Shining Star’ Queen Stella I Von Sternenstaub. According to legend, after Roland won Stella’s heart, Nagoe severed all ties with the surface world, founding his capital—Nagoe’s Abyss—underground to never see the stars again. Anicet had always found the tale ridiculous, unable to understand how someone could ruin his life over a woman. Yet, as the Nixie Prince fixed his gaze on Stella’s statue, for some reason he couldn’t quite explain, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

“Sorry for making you wait.” Astary beamed—in both meanings—as she stepped out of the tower. “This cutie is Pingvindræber.” She extended her arms, revealing a baby seal nestled in her embrace. However, its cherubic face did little to soften the Nixie Prince’s stark expression. “C’mon, Anicet, pet him! Don’t worry—my baby doesn’t bite.”

Both the Prince and the seal had black eyeballs, but while one sight was as cold as ice, the other radiated pure hostility. Reluctantly, Anicet reached out, but the closer he came, the louder Pingvindræber began to growl, and just as his hand touched its soft gray skin, the baby seal showed no mercy.

”Pingvindræber, stop! He’s a Mommy’s friend!” Astary frantically tried to pry the creature’s tiny jaws apart, but Pingvindræber only bit harder, its sharp teeth sinking deeper into Anicet's flesh. Desperate, she pulled harder and harder until there was no bone left to hold the grip. ”I’m sorry, Anicet. Pingvindræber is the sweetest seal in the world—he’s never behaved so wildly—I swear!” Astary pleaded, scolding her baby, who now stared back at her with innocent and wet eyes.

”Nothing to worry about.” Anicet hadn’t moved a muscle throughout the entire struggle, boringly glancing down at his bloodied hand before wiping it clean with his Leech Cloth. ”All animals behave aggressively when I’m around,” he whispered with a hint of regret in his voice. “It seems they’ve all agreed to hate me.”

Astary raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? I vividly remember you at the zoo.”

”Is it forbidden to love those who hate you?” The Nixie Prince asked, then reached out to the baby seal, and though its gaze still radiated hostility, Pingvindræber allowed itself to be patted. ”I’ll defend what I love with all my strength, and if the price is the world’s hatred—I’ll gladly accept it.” He paused, glancing at the wildlife freely roaming the park. ”By the way, the only animal I’ve ever killed was a velociraptor that tried to eat my friend at the zoo when I was a kid. To this day, I still feel guilty.”

“You had a friend? How?” The ’Shining Star’ knew the words were a little harsh, but she also knew the ’Nostalgic Reactionary’ needed a different approach.

“My best friend,” Anicet hesitantly replied. “The so-called Mario Reincarnation—Rinaldo Di Mario. I still have my doubts about that part, but when I asked him if I was his friend, he said—‘Sure, dude.’”

Astary gently placed Pingvindræber into the lake, who was visibly thrilled with its newfound freedom, then the baby seal began to reduce the local fish demography. That’s my boy. Astary couldn’t have been prouder of her gray baby. ”I’ve met him a couple of times. He asked me to be the spokeswoman for Di Mario’s Espresso in my homeland, and after the campaign ended in astronomical success—thanks to me, of course—he gifted me one of his best coffee machines. Tell Rinaldo it’s an outstanding product. Also…could you ask him to send me one of his signed cups? Mine…well, let’s just say it got broken.”

Anicet took a deep breath. “I’m afraid I might not be able to do that.” He looked away. “Rinaldo…is dead.” Astary’s glow faded a bit. “The news hasn’t gone public yet, but since we’re allies of the Free City of Maria, Podestà Gianroberto—his uncle—has personally informed my father.” He deeply inhaled. “According to him, Rinaldo disappeared with his ship while trying to cross the Suarez’s Adagon. I warned him so many times it was impossible…” He deeply exhaled. “But it seems, in the end, his instinct won the struggle against his reason.”

A long and awkward silence followed, then astary mumbled—“Oh, I don’t want to be rude, but…the price of my coffee machine has just tripled.”

Anicet nodded. ”Don’t worry. I’m sure he’d be delighted to know his death boosted the value of his brand.” The Nixie Prince tried to smile. “And besides, he died doing what he loved most—trying to burn Suarez to the ground.”

Following their conversation, the two began walking along the lake’s edge, quietly following Pingvindræber’s crimson trail across the water. After a few discreet glances, Anicet noticed the irregular rhythm of Astary’s breathing, an objective evidence that, despite being at his side, her mind had never left the ’Hero,' For some reason he couldn’t quite explain—it irritated him.

An awkward silence followed, slowly ruining what had once been a pleasant atmosphere for the Nixie Prince, and despite his love of silence, Anicet’s withered heart was urging him to act hastily. Without a word, the ’Nostalgic Reactionary’ quickened his pace, gently guiding the daydreaming Astary off the path toward a secluded bandstand hidden beneath a canopy of green.

“Oh…why are we here? But Pingvindræ—?” She was cut off before finishing, Anicet slid his right arm around her waist and took her hand with his left. “What are you doi—?” Before the ’Shining Star’ could scream, a mirage stole her breath away.

*Tweet!* There, soaring above them, was the legendary bird she had read in a thousand books. Its bluish plumage shimmered in harmony with the glow of her skin, enchanting Astary, who offered no resistance as Anicet guided her into a dance beneath the Bluegale’s watchful gaze.

“No one, except our little friends, will ever know about this,” Anicet whispered, his gaze drowning in hers. “So just for today—let’s enjoy the moment.”

As the couple reached the center of the bandstand, a miracle happened. Exactly 373,736 Anti-Magic Particles awoke from a billion-year sleep, and their first performance was to transmit the collective knowledge of the Holy Rolandish Empire’s most celebrated musicians into the minds of every animal scattered throughout the park. Birds, squirrels, rabbits, and more emerged from the foliage, forming a reverent circle around the clearing. Then, in perfect unison, they began to sing, each species mimicking a different instrument, and together they flawlessly recreated the sound of the Imperial Philharmonic Orchestra, performing the music of a notorious Nixie dance known as—Valzer.

He made the first move, and she eagerly followed. Astary wasn’t the type to be easily pushed around, and even in dance, she instinctively tried to impose her tempo and rhythm. However, the surreal atmosphere had completely bewitched the Starfolk lady, her light flickered as chaotically as her emotions, and Anicet’s darkness mirrored that. Together, their light and shadow swept across the wooden floor, tracing spirals of black and white beneath their feet.

“I never would have imagined you knew how to dance.” Astary gently rest her head on his shoulder, eyelids half-closed. “Every second with you is tearing my reality apart.” Her everlasting worries melted away like snow under sunlight, and for the first time in years, she allowed herself to just enjoy the moment without worrying about the future.

“Dancing is one of the few sources of entertainment in the Evernightmare Kingdom. Our women sew their nightgowns into surreal masterpieces, while the men forge disturbing demonic masks—both to hide our insecurities. For a few hours each month, dance lets us dream of being something more than our disappointed selves.” And with that confession, the Valzer spiraled to its end.

Despite stopping moving, their gazes were still locked, devouring each other in silence. This until a tiny rabbit emerged from the underbrush, delicately carrying a black-and-white rose in its mouth. Anicet knelt, took the flower, and offered it to Astary. “Are you still worried?” He whispered.

“A little,” she admitted, accepting the rose. “But you’ve improved my mood. Thanks, Anicet.” She brought the bloom to her nose, discovering neither an enchanting perfume nor a mysterious aroma, but a homely scent. “So…you did know how to make friends after all.” The Shining Star’s golden eyes radiated with the rarest treasure in this world—sincerity. And yet, the Nixie Prince wasn’t at peace.

Anicent had always believed that finding a friend would make him happy, but now, for reasons he couldn’t quite explain, he felt a little disappointed.

***

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Twilight had nearly swallowed the sky, and the Relax Section was beginning to empty as the cast-iron lamps flickered to life one by one, casting a bluish glow over the park.

“How about something to eat before we head back to the tower?” Astary proposed, pointing toward a row of food stands lining the promenade beside their bench.

“An ice cream would be nice,” Anicet replied. “Lemon, if not vanilla.” She gave a quiet nod and began walking toward the ice-cream stand.

*Fweeeeeeeet!* A sharp whistle cut through the air. “¡Hola, bella dama!” A loud voice called her out. “Your beauty, which no words in our humble dictionary can truly capture, deserves the finest especialidad de Suarez—Les Frijoles Dulces!” From an extravagantly decorated stall, named ’La Locura de Suarez,’ a middle-aged and hairy man theatrically presented her with what could only be described as an orange sandwich stuffed with slimy black beans.

“Sorry,” she mumbled politely, doing her best to hide her disgust at the sight of that gelatinous mass. “But my friend and I already agreed on ice cream.” She offered him a diplomatic smile. “Maybe another time.”

“Dulce’ in Sardinian means sweet!” The vendor declared, dramatically placing a hand over his heart. “These beans are glazed in licorice, held together by pumpkin bread—mucho delicia! Loved even by the Scion of the Holy Rolandish Empire—Chad Rolandsson!”

Despite both the Blueglae and the 373,736 Antimagic Particles remaining dormant, a miracle happened—Astary’s taste had abruptly changed, and now, those black beans became the most divine delicacy imaginable. “Well…maybe I can buy them and eat them later.” The closer her hand moved toward the orange sandwich, the wider the vendor’s grin widened.

*WHOOOOOSH—KA-BOOOOM!* A javelin flew from an unknown direction, striking the propane tank that powered the food stand. ”Oh no no! Oh, 'Imperfect Eclipser!' NOOOOO!” The vendor screamed as a fireball erupted from beneath, reducing La Locura de Suarez to ashes.

Astary took the explosion as a sign of divine intervention, and, without uttering a word, she turned and calmly walked toward the ice cream stand, ignoring the loud blasphemies echoing behind her. Dozens of ice cream flavors were displayed in full splendor behind a spotless glass counter, where a lone worker stood with his back turned, completely unaware of the new customer. Astary glanced up at the signboard above the stand—’For only a tiny surcharge, any of your desires will be fulfilled.’ She sneered. “Excuse me, I’d like to order three ice creams.”

“Welcome to Di Mario’s Gelati, two thousand years of homemade ice cream history at your servi—” As the worker turned, his eyes widened in disbelief. “My Queen? What a surprise!”

Astary blinked, caught off guard by that unwelcome surprise. That voice and that face—she knew them both. Now, in front of her was the same boy she had tripped over on her first day at the academy, before the Class Assignment. ”Oh…it’s you.” The ’Shining Star’ had nearly forgotten about him.

“My Queen, I beg you to accept my sincerest apologies for the unforgivable mistake I made during our first encounter.” He theatrically bowed. “I know I’m asking more than a plebeian like me deserves, but even the greatest of gods ought to show compassion.” FFF-Class ’Javelinist’ Jacques Dreux was still as dramatic as she remembered.

“Sure, I guess. This time…I’ll accept your apology.” She sighed, almost feeling sorry for him. The ’Shining Star’ had entered thr Miraval Academy with the delusion that every boy would try to hit on her. So, she decided that the first of those fools would serve as an example to the rest, committing a little mistake in the process. "However, I have to correct you---I'm not the Queen...anymore," she bitterly admitted.

“Are you speaking of the Princess of the Northern Dynasty? Pfft!” Jacques waved off. “You shouldn’t worry about her. You are the ’Shining Star’ and Chad is the ’Hero’—like your ancestors were two thousand years ago. No political marriage can compete with the faith, history, and culture of our Empire.” He leaned forward, eyes lit with unwavering zeal. “A moon can merely reflect the sun, but only another star can match its splendor, my Queen.”

His words managed to steal a smile from the Starfolk lady, who had to admit she kinda enjoyed it when he called her Queen. “I don’t need a plebeian to state the obvious. I simply prefer not to celebrate before the game is over.” She shrugged. “Now move, and make my ice cream.”

“At your command, my Queen.” Jacques bowed. “Any flavor you desire is available.”

“Anything I want?” A wicked smile curved her lips.

“I swear on my honor.”

Astary tapped her index finger against her lips, gazing upward in mock contemplation before answering…

“Penguin.”

Jacques blinked, grimaced, and then just waited, hoping this was a joke. However, the more he waited, the wider her sneer became. “…Just one moment.” From his pocket, he drew a small steel key, unlocking a hidden drawer beneath the counter and retrieving two rectangular metal boxes, each engraved with an anthropomorphized penguin eating ice cream encircled by thirty-six stars. “Penguin meat or penguin blood?”

Astary leaned forward, resting her elbows on both boxes while threading her fingers together to form a pedestal for her chin.

“Heart.”

A grim expression clouded Jacques’ face. ”What’s wrong with you? I thought I could have anything I desired!” She reminded, her voice honeyed with way too much sarcasm.

“I would never lie to my Queen,” the 'Javelinist' muttered, trying to swallow the real answer now stuck in his throat. “However, I’m afraid this particular request will take…a little longer than usual. May I ask for your patience, just for a few minutes?” Astary sighed before waving her hand in bored approval.

Without another word, Jacques stepped to the center of the stand and removed a small rug, revealing a manhole. After removing the lock with his key, the ’Javelinist’ heaved it open and slowly descended into the shadows below. As he vanished into the underworld, he started humming a well-known tune among the Seafall Hunters.

”I am a dead man walking.

Why? Why? Why?

I’ve met a sweet sweet lady.

Who? Who? Who?

A black widow who had poisoned me.

How? How? How?

By offering me the sweetest of things.”

His voice slowly faded away, and twenty minutes later, a filthy man who reeked of sewer emerged from the manhole, holding a fabric sack that leaked blood. Jacques felt deeply embarrassed about his appearance, but Astary simply gestured for him to come closer—she was well accustomed to the stench of filthy men.

”Apologies for the delay. There were…complications.” He grabbed a stock pot, emptied the sack into it, and presented the three penguin hearts to the Starfolk lady, who leaned in to sniff them.

”They smell and look fresh.” The ’Shining Star’ endorsed their quality.

With her approval, Jacques added milk, eggs, and honey to the pot, stirring until the ingredients thickened into a crimson mush. Then, he placed the mixture in the oven for one minute before transferring it to the refrigerator for another, and when the ice cream was ready, he carefully scooped the scarlet delicacy onto a cone.

”For you, my Queen,” Jacques declared with a bow, solemnly presenting the penguin-heart ice cream to the Starfolk lady like a bishop offering a crown to a king.

Astary took a bite and closed her eyes in satisfaction. “Mhhh, It’s perfect, almost like the ones back in Constellation.” Jacques exhaled, visibly relieved as if a heavy weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. “Did you know that when I was three, I rode my old seal, Raseri, across the Boreal Sea to hunt wild penguins?” Her tone was soaking in nostalgia. “After capturing one, I cut open its chest and ate the heart raw—while it was still pulsing—and Raseri finished off the rest of the carcass. Aaah…I kind of miss those simpler times.” A look of sheer pleasure spread across Astary’s face as her tongue traced circles around the ice cream, savoring every corner of the cone.

“Well…open-air activities are indispensable for a child’s well development. And…doing so while honoring one’s cultural heritage is…admirable…I guess.” Jacques offered her a shy smile. “Now, uh…what about the other two ice creams?”

“Penguin meat and lemon,” she answered, licking the ice cream left on her lips. “Also, send the rest of the heart one to my room in the Class S Tower.” Without wasting any further time, Jacques prepared the remaining cones, jotted down the order, and handed her the bill.

“Fifty-two Marini in total,” Jacques announced. “Three for the cones, twelve for the delivery, and thirty-seven for the surcharge on your special request. I know it’s a little expensive, but you’ve no idea how advanced the security system is at the only place in this city that hosts penguins.” Astary paid without complaint, but, as she turned to leave, the Javelinist’s voice stopped her. “Just one moment, my Queen. Please—take this.”

image [https://files.catbox.moe/wtmgef.png]

“Whatever it is, I’m not interested,” she scolded him. However, as she turned away, the ’Shining Star’ felt a hand touching her arm. “How dare you, dirty plebian, to tou—” She froze, Jacques was too far away. “What…?” Then, in the sky, a miracle happened. 373,736 Antimagic Particles forced the three moons to veil any light, provoking a solar eclipse that painted the Trinity’s Eye over the sun.

Silence reigned supreme in the park. A frightened Astary looked left nd right but Anicet, the Suzerain vendor, and even the crowd were all gone. Everything and everyone had vanished—except for the man standing in front of her.

”Are you sure about that—my Queen?” The blue, red, and green moonlight now kissed the stand, bathing the man in mystery. ”I truly believe the group I represent might be very useful to you.” There was something different about Jacques—his eyes. Each bore a multicolored iris and three pupils, perfectly mirroring the three moons above. ”We specialize in solving delicate problems while placing our clients’ privacy above everything else.” He leaned forward, holding a black business card between his index and middle finger. ”If, one day, one of your problems becomes an unredeemable source of shame—send us an [Email]. We will be more than happy to help you.” Astary’s body moved on its own, as if pulled by unseen threads, and, unable to resist, she took the card.

The exact moment her finger touched the card, the moons drifted apart, the sun reemerged, everyone was back, and Jacques’ eyes were now of their usual brown—everything returning to normalcy. “Anything wrong, my Queen?” Jacques asked, trying to conceal a smug. “You look confused.”

“I…what…none of your business!” Though she had felt it just a moment ago, Astary’s mind quickly dismissed the strange experience as mere dizziness. Then, she grabbed the cones and hastily walked away from that creep.

“You took a while,” the Nixie Prince greeted her.

“Sorry, I was having fun testing something. Anyway, here’s yours.” Astary handed him the lemon ice cream. “And here’s yours, Pingvindræber.” She tossed the penguin meat cone toward the lake, and the seal pup leaped into the air, snatching it with its bloodstained mouth.

“What flavor did you pick?” Anicet asked, glancing at her red ice cream. In response, Astary beamed at him.

“Strawberry.”

From his vantage point, Jacques peeked at the whole scene, witnessing something he had never imagined, even in his wildest dreams. Each time the ’Shining Star’ met the sight of the ’Nostalgic Reactionary,’ the young man’s pale skin, as white as milk, dyed a barely visible pink. ”Are women truly that cruel, or has she genuinely not noticed yet?” His thoughts spiraled. ”So what now? Should I help Anicet, even if it means sacrificing world peace, or destroy his only chance at life to save my own?” His thoughts circled endlessly until they landed on what he had said before to Astary. ”If Chad is the sun, Tsuki the moon, Astary the stars, and Anicet the void, then who I am? Am I destined to be a leading actor, too, taking my rightful place on the stage of this story, or a mere extra, fading in the background?” And then, the answer came to him by itself, as if it had always been there.

”I am a hole that, one day, will devour the whole world.”

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