After a moment's hesitation, Althea gave a reluctant nod.
"Then trust me on this," Eveline said with a gentle smile.
Arthur leaned forward, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Um... am I allowed to know what's going on here? Or am I just a clueless bystander in this cryptic little exchange?"
"Um... I don't know what's going on, but care to clue me in?" Arthur asked, his confusion evident.
Eveline chuckled lightly. "It's nothing too serious. Althea here is just worried I might spill some of the church's dark little secrets to you."
Arthur's eyebrows rose. "And will you?"
"Of course," Eveline said with a playful grin. "We're friends now, aren't we? And friends don't keep secrets."
Althea sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Saintess, must you always be so... reckless?"
Eveline waved her hand dismissively, her expression carefree. "Relax, Althea. I know what I'm doing."
Arthur tilted his head, still trying to piece together her sudden change in demeanor. "You know, I have to admit, this side of you is a bit unexpected. I thought you were the quiet, reserved type."
Eveline leaned back, her gaze softening. "Oh, I usually am. But around you... it's different. I feel comfortable, like I don't need to keep my guard up." Your journey continues on empire
Arthur blinked, caught off guard by her candid confession. Before he could respond, Eveline's expression turned serious, and she glanced around the garden to ensure they were alone. She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "You're blessed by Seraphina, aren't you?"
Arthur froze, his heart skipping a beat. Across from him, Althea's eyes widened in shock, though her reaction stemmed from a different concern.
Arthur was surprised by how she knew, while Althea was equally taken aback—for an entirely different reason. If what Eveline said was true, how had the church not discovered it?
"What... what are you talking about?" Arthur finally managed to ask, his voice tight.
Eveline smiled knowingly. "Don't try to deny it, Arthur. I've felt it. The day of your awakening, I was at the Ludwig mansion, remember?"
Arthur's mind raced. He hadn't expected anyone—let alone Eveline—to figure it out.
Eveline continued, her tone calm but certain. "That day, I sensed a familiar divinity radiating from the mansion. At first, I thought it might have been some kind of divine artifact. It was the home of a duke, after all. Who knows what treasures your family keeps hidden?" She paused, giving him a pointed look. "But now, I'm sure it wasn't an artifact."
Arthur frowned, struggling to regain his composure. "Then what made you so certain?"
Eveline chuckled softly. "Oh, I've known for a while now."
Arthur's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"Well," Eveline began, leaning back slightly, "before I left the church, I received an oracle from the Goddess Seraphina herself. Want to know what it said?"
Arthur tilted his head, curiosity evident. "What did it say?"
"That there's someone else she's passed her divinity to besides Alex," Eveline revealed, her voice calm but firm. "A second chosen one."
"Hah! I knew it," Althea said aloud, surprising both of them. "There's no way the Goddess would be foolish enough to entrust the fate of this world to that self-centered bastard alone!"
"What's gotten into you?" Eveline asked, raising an eyebrow. "And watch your language, Althea."
"Oh, sorry," Althea muttered sheepishly, regaining her composure. "I just got carried away."
Arthur blinked at the sudden shift in tone but quickly refocused on Eveline. "But she didn't mention my name, did she? So how are you so sure it's me?"
Eveline laughed softly at his question, joined by Althea's amused chuckle.
"Hey, what's the joke?" Arthur asked, looking between the two.
Eveline smirked. "Arthur, you really need to work on masking your divinity if you want to keep this a secret. The light of Seraphina's blessing practically radiates off you, and it's far purer than Alex's."
"Even I can sense it," Althea added with a sly smile.
Arthur frowned, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration. "I see. Then I'll have to figure out a way to hide it better. Any suggestions?"
Eveline nodded. "You could try training to suppress it, though that takes time. Or better yet, find an artifact to mask it. That would be more effective in the short term."
Arthur's expression turned serious. "Who else can sense it?"
Eveline thought for a moment before replying. "Not many. Only someone with a strong connection to the goddess, like the Pope or high-ranking officials in the church—bishops or archbishops, maybe."
"Thanks for the heads-up," Arthur said. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone."
Althea frowned. "Why not? You'd be revered as a hero if people knew."
Before Arthur could respond, a familiar voice called out. "Here you are!"
"Good morning, Eveline. Good morning, Althea," Alicia greeted, her tone polite but warm.
Eveline responded with a nod and a smile, while Althea simply acknowledged her with a curt tilt of her head.
Alicia's eyes shifted to Arthur. "I see you have company this morning," she remarked, raising an eyebrow.
Arthur shrugged casually. "Yeah, just chatting about what today's lectures might bring."
"Well," Alicia said, a small smirk tugging at her lips, "we'll find out soon enough. Let's get going—it's time for the academy."
Eveline rose gracefully, brushing off her skirt as she straightened. "We should get going too," she said, her gaze flickering toward Arthur with a knowing smile. "Let's catch up another time."
Arthur nodded. "Sure, see you both later."
"What do you mean later?" Alicia interjected, "Let's go together."
"Well, yeah, we're all in the same class. Why split up?" Luna added with a small grin as she appeared beside Alicia.
Eveline chuckled softly. "Alright, fine. But we might need to make a quick stop at the cafeteria. We haven't had breakfast yet."
"Me neither," Arthur admitted, raising a hand.
Alicia sighed but relented. "Fine, but make it quick. We don't have much time."
With that, the group gathered, now including Luna, and headed toward the cafeteria before continuing to the academy. The morning sun cast a warm glow over the path, hinting at another eventful day ahead.