Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 105: Mana Ties, Part Seventeen

Enverna slowly blinked her eyes open, greeted by the soft rays of the morning sun filtering through the curtains.

As consciousness returned, a mild headache reminded her of the night before. Enverna rose, her body feeling as heavy as though she’d gone running for hours.

All at once, a highlight reel of images unfurled in front of her eyes. The dancing, the kisses, the... Well, everything. All of it making Enverna’s skin heat up.

There was a moment of uncertainty. Had the events of the previous night been a dream?

Lianna was nowhere to be seen. Enverna hesitated to move, her mind running in circles, trying to make sense out of everything her memories told her had occurred. Memories she had, memories she remembered vividly, but memories she still doubted all the same.

[Ah... I need some water.]

She glanced around the room, the disheveled sheets, the two empty bottles on the nightstand from their impromptu celebration. The memories began to crystallize, and she could feel the warmth of Lianna’s presence lingering.

[Goodness...] Enverna breathed in. [All of that truly happened.]

That realization was enough to make Enverna want to cover herself up and go back to sleep.

Shame, repulsion, and guilt all stabbed at her heart, along with a burning curiosity.

She wished it hadn’t been quite as embarrassing.

["Cum for me, cum for me!"] She recalled Lianna saying as the two fingers she had inside of Enverna twisted and danced.

The door creaked open then, and the person who’d said those words appeared.

"Goooood morning!"

Enverna flinched

Lianna entered with a tray carrying eggs and bacon.

"Morning," Enverna greeted, a warm smile playing on Lianna’s lips as she set the tray down on the bed.

Lianna pulled up a chair and sat down on the edge of the bed.

There was, of course, a moment of silence. A subtle tension hanging in the air. The intimacy of the night before lingered, making the morning feel both familiar and different.

"Hope you like breakfast," Lianna said, breaking the quiet with a lighthearted tone. "Made it myself."

Enverna glanced at the tray, the aroma of freshly cooked food wafting through the air.

"I am sure I will... Thank you," she said, managing a small smile.

They ate in a slightly awkward silence, the clinking of utensils filling the room.

Enverna stole glances at Lianna, her mind still processing the events of the night.

Finally, Lianna set her fork down, looking at Enverna with a thoughtful expression.

"About last night..."

Enverna’s heartbeat quickened, and she nodded, acknowledging the unspoken tension between them.

Lianna took a deep breath.

"I just wanted to make sure you’re okay with everything that happened. I mean, I don’t want things to be weird between us, you know?"

Enverna met Lianna’s eyes, finding a mixture of sincerity and concern.

"I... I enjoyed myself," she admitted, her voice slightly hesitant but honest.

A relieved smile spread across Lianna’s face.

"Really?" she asked with genuine happiness in her eyes.

Enverna nodded, her own smile forming.

"Yes, really."

They sat there for a while, the awkwardness dissipating, replaced by a quiet acknowledgment of the shift in their relationship.

The tray of mostly eaten breakfast sat forgotten as they began to talk.

Lianna traced patterns on the sheets with her fingers, a contemplative look on her face.

"So, uh, there are a couple of questions on my mind. But, I... guess you need time to sort things through?"

[I am not sure I will be given that time.]

"That would be nice," Enverna replied.

"Okay," Lianna conceded. "That’s fine... But, you know, I didn’t think things would turn out like this," she admitted.

Enverna chuckled softly.

"Me neither. Life is full of surprises."

Lianna nodded.

"But I’m glad they did."

Enverna smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest.

"I am as well, I think."

Lianna then squeezed Enverna’s hand. The morning sunlight bathed the room in a soft glow, and as they sat there, hand in hand, Enverna knew that things would be different.

Maybe.

As they sat there together, the room was bathed in the soft glow of the afternoon sunlight when Enverna’s phone chimed with an incoming call.

Glancing at the screen, she saw her mother’s name, Verana, displayed.

Enverna groaned to which Lianna responded with a light giggle.

Reluctantly, she answered the call. "Hello?"

"Enverna, sweetheart," Verana’s voice flowed through the comm device, a warm familiarity wrapped in concern. "I wanted to talk to you about the process of resigning from the Watchful. There are certain procedures you need to follow, and I thought it’s best if we-"

Without allowing her mother to finish, Enverna abruptly hung up the call.

"Damn," Lianna said. "Are, uh, you gonna be okay?"

Enverna sighed, her gaze fixed on some invisible point in the room.

"I don’t know."

Lianna scooted closer, her presence a comforting warmth.

"You don’t have to decide everything right now. Take your time."

Enverna nodded, appreciating Lianna’s understanding. But deep down, she knew the decision weighed heavily on her as well. They’d grown to be good friends over all this time.

Lianna looked up suddenly, her eyes focusing on something beyond Enverna’s sight.

[System notification, maybe?]

Without a word, Lianna closed the distance, capturing Enverna’s lips in a sudden, tender kiss.

Enverna’s initial surprise gave way to a mix of emotions. It was over as soon as it begun. As they parted, Enverna looked into Lianna’s eyes, seeking answers.

"Why did you do that?" Enverna asked, her voice soft.

Lianna’s gaze held a depth of understanding.

"Because..." Lianna paused. "I felt like it."

Enverna frowned, her brows knitting in confusion.

"You’re not making this any easier."

Lianna grinned, a mischievous spark in her eyes.

"I guess not."

Enverna couldn’t help but smile, despite the uncertainty looming over her. Lianna’s unpredictability, coupled with the genuine concern in her actions, brought a certain reassurance.

The room, with its weighty decisions and impending changes, seemed to lighten, if only for a moment.

With Lianna by her side, Enverna found a source of strength, a reminder that, even in the face of uncertainty, they were a team.

---

{Lianna}

Later, while Zura and Enverna watched TV in the living room, Lianna paced around the bedroom, eyes flickering over the holographic interface of the Player Shop.

Due to the high rate at which pressing, important matters had tended to fall on Lianna’s lap over the course of the past few months, Lianna hadn’t gotten to explore this thing fully.

The interdimensional store, a creation of the System, granted Lianna exclusive access. The possibilities it offered intrigued her, and a plan began to form in her mind.

She needed to leverage the items at her disposal to obtain more potent tools. Every System-generated item had a value, a token worth, and Lianna wanted to see what she could buy.

She glanced at the inventory displayed in the holographic projection.

From enchanted weapons to mystical artifacts, the range of available items fascinated her.

[Demonic Motivation Sword, 200000 tokens, can cut an interdimensional portal through space itself. What the hell am I reading?]

The fact was, however, that Lianna had no real way to get any of these things just yet. She’d need to go on missions and she’d need to farm items off Fiends to sell.

However, there was one option available to her.

Determined, Lianna made her way to Cynthia’s office.

The heavy conversations she and Cynthia had did cloud her mind a little but, despite the awkwardness, Lianna pushed through, her focus on the task at hand.

Cynthia looked up from her desk, her expression guarded as Lianna walked inside. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Lianna. What brings you here?"

Lianna took a deep breath.

"I found something that might help us in the coming challenges. It’s called the Player Shop, an interdimensional store that, at least as far as I know, only I can access. I can buy and sell items, and it might be the key to getting stronger."

Cynthia’s eyes narrowed.

"Is that so? That’s... quite the ability."

Lianna hesitated, choosing her words carefully.

"I need your permission to sell items from the armory you showed me before. The tokens I get from those sales can be used to purchase more powerful gear. It’s a way to enhance our capabilities."

Cynthia leaned back in her chair, studying Lianna intently. The unspoken tension between them lingered, adding weight to the conversation.

"I cannot overstate how much it would pain me to part with those items," Cynthia sighed. "But... if this is a resource that can help us, I won’t stand in your way. However, I want you to be cautious."

"What do you mean?"

"You already have a massive target on your back, Lianna. If you suddenly just started appearing with high-level, powerful gear, out of nowhere, that would do nothing to ease people’s suspicions, would it?"

[Ah, I see.]

Lianna nodded, grateful for the reluctant agreement.

"I understand. I’ll be careful."

"Come. I’ve been looking for an opportunity to stretch my legs anyway. I’ll take you to the armory right now."

"Oh, uh, thank you."

An odd look flashed through Cynthia’s face.

"You’re welcome, Lianna."