Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 118: Children of Mana, Part Two

As Lianna watched Zura slip back into the warehouse, her brows shot up.

She couldn’t help but wonder where Zura had disappeared to.

"Zura, where did you go?" Lianna asked, her voice tinged with both concern and intrigue.

Zura flashed a mischievous grin, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Just had to take care of a little eavesdropper," she replied cryptically, her tone laced with satisfaction.

Lianna raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued.

"An eavesdropper?"

Zura shrugged nonchalantly, her grin widening.

"Just someone who thought they could spy on us without getting caught. That, uh, bodyguard of ours... She’s the real deal," Zura stated.

[Yeah, with her stats, I figured. I wonder how Miss Taylor met all these people. She seems to be friends with plenty of powerful individuals.]

Before Lianna could press for more details, Mel interjected, drawing their attention back to her.

"Going back to the matter at hand, I have some news to share," she announced, her tone filled with a sense of urgency.

Lianna’s curiosity deepened.

"What is it?"

"Olin, the Monk’s follower, has been working on a few ideas to help us with our theory about the artifact," she explained. "Al’has reached out to him ahead of time. He believes he may be able to help with our current theory."

Lianna’s heart leaped with anticipation at the news, her mind racing with possibilities.

"That’s awesome! Where is he?"

"Dunno. I, uh, guess he’ll find you on his own," Mel shrugged. "For now, I think you should head back to the inn and get settled properly, though. We have time, no need to rush things."

At that moment, Mel and Enverna exchanged a meaningful glance, Lianna couldn’t help but feel a pang of uncertainty gnawing at her insides.

There was something unspoken passing between them, something she couldn’t quite grasp. But before she could dwell on it further, Mel’s voice broke through her thoughts once more.

"Shall we?" Mel asked, gesturing towards the door with a gentle smile.

Lianna nodded, pushing aside her lingering doubts as she followed her friends out of the warehouse.

"It was nice to see you again," Mel said, drawing their attention again. "I need to head back to my own place. I’ll see you later."

"Yeah, talk to you later," Lianna muttered before the girl turned and walked away.

[Wow... She’s so different. The way she carries herself now, the way she talks... She basically became a different person.]

Soon, the girls began making their way back to the inn.

Just as Lianna was lost in her own thoughts, her phone buzzed in her pocket, drawing her attention away from the bustling streets of Garriden.

With a quick glance at the screen, she saw that it was a text from Mel, sent just moments ago.

[I would like to speak to you later, privately,] the message read. [If that’s okay with you.]

Quickly, Lianna replied:

[I’d like that.]

---

The soft evening breeze rustled through the leaves of the trees surrounding the quaint gazebo on the edge of the city.

This was the place Mel asked to meet up at.

Lianna approached the structure, her heart pounding in her chest as she scanned the area for any sign of Mel.

As she rounded the corner, her eyes fell upon the familiar figure seated on one of the benches, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun.

"Mel," Lianna called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

At the sound of her name, Mel looked up, her eyes lighting up with recognition and warmth.

Rising from her seat, she crossed the distance between them in a few quick strides, a radiant smile gracing her lips.

"Lianna," Mel breathed, her voice a lot softer than it had been before.

Without hesitation, she reached out and pulled Lianna into a tight embrace, making Lianna’s brows raise up to the sky.

Caught off guard by the sudden display of affection, Lianna tensed for a moment before relaxing into the embrace, her heart swelling with warmth at the familiar touch of her friend.

It had been too long since they had last seen each other, so she understood.

What really shocked her was the way Mel then leaned in, pressing a light kiss against Lianna’s lips.

Lianna’s heart skipped a beat, sending a jolt of electricity coursing through her veins. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as she processed the unexpected gesture.

Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

As Mel pulled back, her eyes searching Lianna’s for a reaction, Lianna found herself at a loss for words.

Her mind buzzed with a whirlwind of emotions, her heart visibly torn between confusion and longing.

"I... I’m sorry," Mel stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I didn’t mean to overstep. I just-"

But before she could finish her sentence, Lianna reached out and gently cupped Mel’s face in her hands, her touch soft and reassuring.

"No, no, no, Mel," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "It’s okay. You... just caught me off-guard is all."

Mel breathed a sigh of relief.

[Yeah, she’s still Mel, though,] Lianna thought with a smile.

As they settled into a comfortable silence beneath the shelter of the gazebo, Lianna couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth enveloping her.

Despite the unexpected turn their conversation had taken, being with Mel felt familiar and comforting, even though they hadn’t even known each other for too long.

"So, what have you been up to all this time?" Lianna asked, her voice soft and curious.

Mel’s eyes lit up like the sun above as she animatedly described her time at the tower.

"In a way, it almost felt like changing schools. They gave us courses, lectures revolving around various schools of magic," Mel explained. "They helped us pick a System class as well. I went with Sorceress because... Well, remember Sylver? I’m pretty sure that was her class and... I’d like it if I could grow into the same kind of mage she is."

Lianna listened intently, captivated by the passion in Mel’s voice. It really did sound like she found her calling.

"Oh, and the training..." Mel continued, her eyes alight with fervor. "We spent endless hours spent in the sparring chambers. It was exhilarating! I never did anything like that."

Lianna nodded, her own excitement starting to bubble. Mel’s newfound energy was contagious.

"But... it wasn’t just the lessons and the training that left an impact on me," Mel went on, a soft smile gracing her lips. "It was the people. So many children of mana like you and me. I’d never seen anything like it before. I..." Mel sighed. "I actually felt like I belonged."

"It sounds incredible," Lianna murmured, her voice filled with awe. "I’m so happy for you, Mel."

Mel’s smile widened, her eyes shimmering.

"Thank you, but... I do have one complaint about it all."

"Yeah?"

"The fact that you weren’t there." Mel lowered her head a bit, embarrassed to say it. "I missed you quite a lot."

Lianna’s heart clenched.

"And what about you?" Mel asked, her gaze softening as she turned to face Lianna. "How have things been with Enverna?"

Lianna took a moment to collect her thoughts before speaking, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"It’s... complicated," Lianna admitted, her eyes darting away for a moment before meeting Mel’s gaze once more. "Good complicated, though... if that’s even a thing. We’ve gotten a lot closer. Hell, if you ask me, I’d say we’re kinda... together."

Mel’s eyes widened.

"OH! Oh, again, I-I’m sorry if I overstepped," she said softly, her eyes filled with regret.

Lianna shook her head, offering Mel a reassuring smile.

"No, Mel. You didn’t. We... we don’t even know where we stand yet as far as, uh, exclusivity is concerned. So please, don’t apologize."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Lianna replied. "Envy’s still figuring out how she feels and, well, you know how I am."

"I do." Mel nodded slowly. Lianna had never heard two words be stated with so much meaning packed into them.

With a tender smile, Mel leaned in once more, her lips meeting Lianna’s in a gentle kiss. It was a moment of softness, of warmth, as their emotions mingled in the quiet embrace.

With a final brush of their lips, Mel reluctantly drew back, her gaze lingering on Lianna’s face.

"You should head back to your inn soon," she said softly. "I don’t want the others to worry about you."

Lianna nodded in agreement, a sense of contentment warming her from within.

"Yeah, I guess I sh-"

Mel cut her off with another lingering kiss.

Lianna flinched, though she eased into it quickly.

Although Mel had changed in some ways, one thing hadn’t. That was, the clear, burning desire she still had for Lianna.

Mel pulled back reluctantly.

"I said ’soon’, not now," she stated quietly.

"Right," Lianna grinned. "Sorry."

Without another word, Mel just pulled her in again.

It was almost half an hour of just making out before they actually parted ways.