1

“ Remember to pack your bags everyone . We must arrive in time to the Chandan castle . “ said the professor .

Daphne looked at the castle’s photo . She felt a sense of familiarity that she couldn’t understand . Her friend sitting next to her noticed that she was again lost in the picture of the castle that she didn’t even notice that the students were leaving and the professor was calling to her .

“ Daphne , the professor is calling for you . “ whispered Ana pitching her leg a little , making Daphne come to her senses .

“ Y…Yes ?! “ said Daphne looking at the professor who sighed annoyed .

“ Daphne , I don’t care if everyone else is absent minded but I want you to be fully focused on this research .  You are my best student . “ said the professor .

“ Yes sir ! “ said Daphne nodding her head .

After they went out , Ana followed Daphne to the library to finish their project . Although they went there for the project , Daphne couldn’t resist when seeing books related to the Chandan castle .

“ Daphne , are you serious ? “ asked Ana .

“ What’s wrong ? “ asked Daphne confused .

“ You have been obsessed with the supernatural phenomenas of the Chandan Castle . “ said Ana .

“ I am not . I…am just preparing myself for the research . “ said Daphne .

“ Oh please ! Ever since the professor mentioned this place to us three months ago , you seem to snooze off to wonderland whenever you hear something about it . You aren’t particularly a fun of history . What makes you so fascinated with this old centuries place ? “ said Ana looking at the book she was holding .

“ I would say that the magic necklace and cursed tiara . Such powerful objects are said to have been buried in that castle . I am not a fan of history but I surely am a fan of treasure hunt . “ said Daphne .

“ Girl , did you just hear yourself saying cursed tiara ? “ said Ana with a dumbfounded look on her face .

“ It is cursed because it is said that no one can wear the tiara apart from the true heir . Anyone who dares to wear it will face misfortune while on the heir’s head it will bring great power and prosperity . It is recorded that the people who were not the real heir to it and worn it before all suffered greatly . “ said Daphne showing the image to Ana .

“ Good story ! What I wanna know is how much that thing is worth and whether those big stones are pure diamonds . “ said Ana extending her hand .

The two friends looked at each other and Daphne closed the book , focusing back on her project . When she arrived home , she felt the delicious aroma of pancakes . She went to the kitchen and saw her mother and father preparing dinner while her little brother was playing Nintendo .

“ Daphne you are back . “ said her mother and father .

Daphne hugged them and hugged her little brother . When the dinner was prepared , Daphne noticed that it’s as a feast and that all of them were her favourite dishes .

“ You will be going tomorrow . We thought of celebrating our genius daughter . “ said her mother and father .

“ My sister is so cool . Make sure to send me lots of pictures os that I can brag to my friends . “ said Daniel with a smirk .

“ Sure , you troublemaker . “ said Daphne patting his head .

After eating dinner she hurried to go back to sleep as the flight was scheduled quite early . Her parents woke her up and accompanied her with her littler brother to the airport .

“ I will miss you all . “ said Daphne .

“ We will miss you too . Remember Daphne , we love you more than anything . Everything we do is for your own good . “ said her parents hugging her tightly .

“ Sister , I love you very much . “ said Daniel .

She had traveled before and had greeted her family but the hug they gave her this time gave her a different feeling .

‘ ….What does it feel as if they were bidding me farewell ?….I will be gone just for a week and will come soon . Indeed…..so why….do I have this sadness in me . ‘ thought Daphne to herself but she shook off that feeling thinking she was being silly and walked ahead waving at them and joining her group as her parents looked at her from afar .

“ Are you sure this is a good idea ? “ asked her mother worried .

“ I am worried but the is nothing we can do . She has to do this on her own . It’s her path . “ said her father looking at the plane where Daphne was flying up in the sky .

When they arrived they got on the bus . After an hour the bus stopped in front of the entrance gate of the Chandan castle .  The six students came out of the bus along with the professor and waited with their bags in their hands . The professor went to talk with the guards at the entrance and gave them a card . The guards opened the door and two luxurious minivans were waiting for them .

“ The lord has consented your entrance and has prepared the vans . The bus isn’t allowed to pass through the castle’s territory . “ said the guard .

“ I understand . Let’s go everyone . “ said the professor .

Daphne and Ana got on the second minivan with Lion while the professor and the other three went to the first minivan .

“ Wow , this place has a nice garden . “ said Ana .

“ Nice ?…..It looks rather spooky . “ said Lion with all the fog around .

“ That’s became it’s five am . It’s early , the sun has yet to rise . Don’t you think so too Daphne ? “ said Ana excited .

Daphne nodded her head as she looked outside the window lost in her thoughts . When they went down everyone walked ahead following the professor as Daphne was solemnly focused on the majestic sight of the giant castle in front of her  . The door of the castle’s entrance were opened the others hurried to go inside while Daphne stopped at the entrance . She saw the others looking around amazed while she simply stared at the red carpet without stepping on it .

‘ Why do I feel like…..as if….the next steps that I take will decide the course of my life ? If I take this step inside this castle , I will never be able to go back to my previous life ?…… ‘ thought Daphne to herself .

As she felt lost in her decision she felt a slight push on her shoulders and a whisper on her ear that told her to enter . Daphne looked behind her feeling startled by what just happened .

“ ….Daphne , hurry ! “ said the professor .

She looked behind herself and saw no one there .

‘ …….I am just being silly . How can there be someone behind me ? This stupid anxiety as well . This is just an old castle and that’s it . ‘ thought Daphne to herself .

Meanwhile the whole scene was viewed by the people on the third floor , the Duke Damon Nigrescent and his sister , the young Duchess Daria Nigrescent .

“ Brother , you have been looking outside ever since those humans came .  What do they have that makes them look so interesting ? “ asked Daria looking at the humans .

“ Their foolishness . “ said Damon .

“ Pfft ! I was expecting an answer like that from you . “ said Daria looking outside the window .

Her eyes fell on Daphne .

“ That girl……she is different from them . “ said Daria .

Damon looked at Daphne with his icy blue eyes .

‘ …Her smell…is so sweet that is impossible not to notice her . even though I am so far from her , I can still smell her sweet fragrance . ‘ thought Damon to himself .

“ How does she smell brother ? “ asked Daria .

“ Sweet… “ said Damon raising his wine glass .