When her PC Class came around, Valeriana was undeniably in her good mood. She was still experiencing leftovers of that joy she experienced yesterday regarding the band issue, so nothing could possibly ruin it for her.

Not even that stupid excercise the king's brother was making them do.

When Lord Lienhard said they were to do what they did yesterday, complains were heard from Cail and Coral. However, in Valeriana's case, she wanted to get it over and done with so that she could make some progress with the songs they were going to perform.

The enthusiasm was going off in waves that she skipped her way to the training grounds with no words, causing her classmates to gaze at her in question.

During the obstacle course, memories of her sitting in front of her favorite instrument and doing what she loved with the Twelve gave a feeling of happiness bubbling in her chest.

It was an innocent sentiment, bringing a smile to her face despite the redundancy of the exercise and the tiring actions it put her through.

When she reached the finish line for her third lap, Coral, Cail, and Zander had been left behind. Sweat dotted her face and her breath puffed from her mouth. She paused to wipe off the stickiness forming around her neck and looked up to see Lord Lienhard watching.

He had never gone down the training grounds himself before.

"And finally one of you gets it." He laughed, clapping as he approached Valeriana. "Congratulations then, deary. You pass the first trial."

"Huh?" They all chorused.

The three stopped just behind Valeriana, tired and confused.

"I wasn't even smiling." She told him, blanching.

"Oh, but you wereeee." He sang, winking at her. "Your aura is light and positive, your mood is good, you're relaxed, not to mention you're happy."

"I don't get it."

"Sit down, all of you. We're going to have an outdoor lecture." He pranced around joyfully and waited for them to do as he said.

One by one, they hesitantly obeyed. Valeriana chose an Indian sit while catching a drop of sweat from falling into her eye. Lienhard then stood before them, as though finally taking the whole professor thing seriously.

"In controlling your auras, the hardest thing to do is let it go wild." He explained, his golden eyes and hair shining under the light of the sun. "Of course, logic has it, the calmer it is, the easier it is to mold it. The wilder it is, the harder it is to tame it. You don't want your auras disobeying you, huh? Well, one particular reason why Zander here has the most control out of you lots is because he holds himself back."

Thoughts immediately popped into their heads. If all they needed was to control themselves, then . . .

"But that is wrong." He crouched before them, eyeing them individually at a time. "Emotions are a natural part of yourself. Your sadness, your anger, your hatred, your happiness and your pain. That shouldn't be blocked out. If you hold back, you can only go so far. In the end, you'll find yourself facing a wall."

"Then what is the use of this training?" Cail queried. "And how do we gain control without holding ourselves back?"

"You cannot refuse to feel." He said, his smile as vibrant as the sun. "But you can choose. The easiest thing to feel is happiness, because it exists in the littlest things. Frustrations, impatience, loneliness, and everything else may come around, but happiness will always be there."

The lord willingly collpased and sprawled on the ground like a carefree teenager. "I do not agree with the logic of seeking happiness, don't you think? It is in the mindset of every people, in every character in every book . . . to try and find this so-called thing that will make them happy. But, they do not realize, that they themselves deny their right of being happy. It is right under their noses, but they refuse to look down. It follows them everywhere, but they do not look back--knock on their doors, but they do not answer."

He then suddenly rose, catching the four by surprise. "And so the trick is to always let go."

Lienhard was answered by confused stares to which he gave a small laugh. Knowing he had to give them more example, he opened his mouth and began once again, "Like right now. I should feel frustrated because you cannot understand what I say, but I choose to see the look on your faces instead and laugh at your inexperience."

He hopped on his feet and gazed at them from above. "Or the time I received the news I was going to have a daughter."

Valeriana unconsciously took in more oxygen than she expected. There wasn't any other daughter than Lady Seraphina.

"I should've been concerned about what other people might think, but instead I focused on the gift I received. Don't you see? I choose happiness."

His words made them ponder.

"So you all might think I have no care or that I am selfish, but there is no denying how you can handle a problem and be happy at the same time. The trick is to see. There is fun in everything, so it's no use making yourself go through all that pain while doing something you don't like."

"What does this have to do with controlling our auras again?" Coral wondered.

"It's just that it's far easier to do hard things when you're happy. So, until then, until you find that happiness I'm talking about, you lot will be stuck going through this obstacle course."

They all groaned at the torture he was making them go through.

"And, if you're happy, the more you aren't susceptible to demonic temptation." He winked. "So healthy lives, healthy body, healthy soul, means a happy lifetime so go out there and smile like you mean it!"

Lienhard's aura flared intimidatingly, making his four students stand up yelping. With a slight push, he had them all up and running.

"Valeriana, you stay." Was what he said, making the girl stop to gaze at her professor. "Come with me."

"But--" She tried to protest, gazing at her classmates in concern.

"Leave them alone and let them figure it out by themselves."

The king's brother then led her away, leaving the topic closed and done. Unable to argue, Valeriana simply followed the man back to their classroom, wondering whatever he had in mind.

"It's no use if they don't see it themselves." He told her. "Fact is, we can't be made happy by the same thing. It's different. Our definitions and principles are different so our help for others can only go so far. It depends entirely on them."

"Being happy is not easy." She replied, toying with the sleeve of her top.

"It never is." Lienhard paused, then sighed. "Come on, now."

When they arrived, Valeriana was shocked to see an upright mirror standing by the lord's desk. They arrived for class earlier and it hadn't been there. What in the world was it for?

The lord stopped and nudged the girl to enter, closing the door behind him after they were both inside.

"What's the mirror for?" She asked, her wide eyes full of wonder.

"See for yourself."

Valeriana stood before the object and examined herself. There was nothing out of ordinary. Her face was still hers, not to mention she looked absolutely horrible at that moment. Her hair was in complete disarray and she had a streak of dirt on her forehead and left cheek. Her clothes was heavy with sweat, too.

"What was the point of making me look at myself in the mirror?" She stomped her foot in irritation. "I know I look dumb and horrible, okay? It isn't exactly my day."

Lord Lienhard had that sort of expression on his face that said everything he had to say. Valeriana had no choice but to continue looking at herself without complaining.

The next moment she turned to gaze at her reflection, still nothing changed. It wasn't magical of any sort and had no special abilities to see into her future.

"There is something. Look closer." He said.

The girl stepped forward to touch the mirror and continued discerning whatever fact the lord was trying to make her see.

What was it about herself?

She gazed at the area around her body and gasped, suddenly realizing what he had been trying to show her.

"I don't have an aura?!"

"It isn't that you don't." He replied. "It's just because there is none who can see their own aura. I can't believe you only realized it now, after all those days."

"So what does that mean?"

"It is the same as not being able to see yourself the way others can see you." He moved further into the room and stood behind Valeriana. "That blindness cannot be removed. That fact will be there to remind you, you cannot be alone and you never will be. Somebody will always have to watch you for you. And that somebody cannot be just anybody."

A knowing smile crept on his lips, as usual, mischievous and strangely twisted in a sense that it made her curious.

"It's the one." His tickling laughter rang. "Isn't that romantic?"

"Huh." She deadpanned at him. "I don't need anyone talking to me about my love life."

"Well, it isn't necessary for that somebody to be the one. Friends are fine. Comrades. Allies. We beings are not made to be alone, after all. We're made to be surrounded, to belong. Sometimes we might have trouble trying to fit in, but why go through all that when you can stand out? It should be remembered that in a group, you can't all be the same. In order to make the perfect puzzle, all the pieces must carry a different part of the image." He patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"What's showing me this for?"

"Does everything need to have a reason?" Was his retort. "Now sit down, let me teach you a little something. As of now, you need direct skin contact to activate the connection with another aura. Am I right?"

She looked down on her gloved hands. "Yeah."

"But, unlike what everybody presumes, Direct Control is a team effort. Meaning, without the cooperation of the other party, it's useless."

"Really?"

"As I have said, Direct Control is not meant for combat. It is never meant for combat." His words were firm, as though he was trying to instill the words into Valeriana's head. "Though altruistics have the ability to see into another person, know their weaknesses, their past, and everything else along the line, and manipulatives can transmit images, communicate telephatically, share emotions . . . without that cooperation, it's useless."

"Why?"

"Because Direct Controllers are meant to be selfless. We are not supposed to cause harm of any sort to somebody else. We are meant to help and set limits, maintain balance, and improve the way of life. It is in our nature. If we go against that, we lose a little piece of ourselves."

"Then, we can't use them for fights? Even indirectly?"

"If the fight is inevitable, then we can lend our aid. But we must not use our ability for any selfish reasons. There must always be consent."

"But why do we need that permission?"

"Because doing something to another person against their will can be counted as a sin." Lienhard told her. "And the more you do it, the more corrupted you become. Our abilities are great, but the restrictions that come with it are just as bad."

Valeriana was silent.

This PC thing was not simple like she first thought.

"But there are loop holes." He added.

She looked up at the mention of the fact and leaned forward to listen. Lord Lienhard stepped back and started making hand gestures.

"You can use your ability on another person without them knowing. That's only if they are wide open and accepting of any energies that come at them. But your intentions must be clean. Some people do not guard their auras, making them vulnerable to all kinds of energies. However, even guarded auras have holes. You find these open channels. And you, my dear, are full of them."