Prologue II
~ Arcanum cards ~

— Present time; Year 664 —

Mira scoffed as she watched the sentinel stand quietly on the other side of the room. It was her grandfather's birthday. The least Sentinel Shin could do is dress up for it. But no, the was still in her white uniform, not even mingling with the other guests. So much for being the favorite.

As if her thoughts were being broad casted across the hall, the Sentinel looked up to meet her eyes. The haunting white-gray color of the silent girl's eyes made her shiver slightly. Actually, the whole appearance of her grandfather's most beloved sentinel gives her the chills. She was so... colorless. The white uniform doesn’t help her case at all.

"Mirabelle, why don't you go talk to Ahra?" Her mother suggested, looking angelic in her baby blue ball gown.

"Uh," she frowned. "No, thanks."

"Mirabelle," her mother gave her the slightest of a glare, becoming demonic in a split second.

She fought the urge to groan. If her mother was adamant to make the Sentinel socialize more, why don't she go talk with her herself? Why is it that she's the one who has to converse with her? Left with no choice but to follow her mother's suggestion, she walked towards the weird girl that has the whole royal family smitten — except her, of course.

A forced smile made its way to her lips as she approached Ahra. The girl had long stopped looking at her, resorting back to staring at the floor. The platinum blond hair that was gathered into a tight braid was more unnatural to the eyes upfront.

"Ahra," she called for the girl's attention.

"Mirabelle," Ahra didn't raise her head. "Where's King Laurence?"

Mira's left eye twitched. "I think it's more respectful to call the king ‘His Highness’, no?"

"Hm," Ahra raised her head to look at her innocently. "He dislikes formality. Would you like me to displease His Highness?"

"I would have like for you to have remained where you came from, but my likes hardly matter, don't you think?" Mira smirked.

Ahra didn't reply, giving her a discomfiting smile instead.

Before Mira could snap at the girl for being so scary, a guard who was also wearing a sentinel's uniform rushed to Ahra. Other guests looked at them with their eyes alight with curiosity.

"Captain," the guard saluted, shocking Mira. "We are having a code green at Area One."

Ahra removed herself from the post she was leaning on, looking alert all of the sudden, traces of mockery gone. "Call for a lock down right away. I