Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 119: Children of Mana, Part Three

{Enverna}

The TV in the girls’ bedroom was small and bulky.

A soap opera was playing on it.

"No! You can’t go fight in that dungeon! I’ll kill myself if you do!" A lady yelled at her husband.

"I must do it. We have no money!"

[Goodness.]

As Enverna watched the melodramatic scenes unfold on the flickering TV screen, her mind drifted away from the soap opera.

[Mel’s apology felt genuine, but why does it bother me so much?]

She imagined it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to forgive someone who’d attempted to take their life, but for Enverna, something felt slightly different.

Suddenly, that moment played out in front of her mind’s eye. She was there, in that warehouse again, seeing Lianna and Mel look at each other in a way that made Enverna’s heart ache a little.

[... Hm.]

There was a tension that Enverna couldn’t quite decipher, a puzzle she struggled to unravel.

[Maybe I’m just overthinking things.]

Enverna sighed softly, her gaze drifting from the TV screen to the dimly lit room around her. Zura appeared to have noticed some inner turmoil in Enverna’s mind but was choosing not to prod at it, for which Enverna was thankful.

[I should focus on something else. Maybe I’ll read a book or something.]

A distraction soon offered itself up, though.

Enverna’s phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts. She glanced at the screen, expecting to see Lianna’s name, but it was her mother calling instead. With a resigned sigh, she stepped outside to take the call in private, leaving the bedroom.

"Hello, Mother," Enverna greeted, her tone neutral.

"Enverna, darling," her mother’s voice sounded strained over the line. "I heard you are in Garriden. Have you changed your mind? Are you ready to come home?"

Enverna hesitated, her fingers tightening around the phone.

"No, Mother," she replied firmly. "I’m only here for work."

There was a heavy silence on the other end of the line, filled with disappointment and unspoken expectations. Enverna braced herself for her mother’s reaction.

"I see," her mother said tersely, her disappointment palpable. "Well, at least consider visiting. I would like to see you."

Enverna’s jaw clenched at the thinly veiled plea in her mother’s words.

"I’ll think about it," she murmured, though she had no intention of making any promises.

Without another word, her mother hung up abruptly, leaving Enverna feeling drained and unsettled. She took a moment to gather herself before heading back inside, the weight of her mother’s words heavy on her shoulders.

Zura looked up as Enverna reentered the room, concern etched on her face.

"Everything okay?" she asked softly.

Enverna forced a small smile.

"Just family stuff," she replied, not wanting to burden Zura with her own troubles.

Before Zura could respond, the sound of the door opening caught their attention, and they turned to see Lianna stepping inside, a bright smile on her face.

"Hey, sorry I took so long," Lianna said, her voice cheerful. "Did I miss anything exciting?"

Enverna shook her head, relieved for the distraction.

"Nothing much," she replied, her voice steadier than she felt.

---

{Lianna}

An old chapel stood amidst a backdrop of lush greenery, its weathered stone walls imbued with a sense of quiet reverence.

Lianna, Enverna, and Zura approached cautiously, their footsteps echoing softly in the serene surroundings. As they drew nearer, they spotted Olin seated on the steps of the chapel, his eyes closed in deep meditation.

"Is that him?" Zura whispered, nudging Lianna.

Lianna nodded.

"Yep, that’s him," she confirmed, her voice barely above a whisper.

As they approached, Olin’s eyes fluttered open, and he regarded them with a serene expression.

"Greetings, young ones," he greeted, his voice soft but resonant. "What are your impressions of Garriden thus far?"

Enverna being someone who is quite literally from the city, refrained from saying anything.

Lianna, however, said:

"It’s a beautiful city." Her eyes swept over the surrounding landscape. "So different from Telvan."

Zura shrugged, her expression indifferent.

"Looks like any other place to me," she commented nonchalantly.

Olin nodded thoughtfully as if considering their responses.

"Indeed. Beauty is often in the eye of the beholder, is it not?" He mused, throwing a glance at Enverna.

With that, he swiftly shifted the conversation to the matter at hand, his gaze settling on Lianna with a piercing intensity.

"I understand you seek guidance regarding the artifact," Olin began, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "Al’has Varim and I share a similar belief regarding its nature. We believe that the artifact is influenced by your emotions, Lianna."

Lianna’s brows furrowed.

"Right... Doesn’t seem that practical to me, but it’s hard to deny that, given how the thing’s activated before."

There was certainly a hint of skepticism in Lianna’s words but, as she said, it was the best assumption they had at the moment.

"If I am understanding that object correctly, based on the research I’ve done, it is like a mirror." Olin’s gaze softened, a patient smile playing at the corners of his lips. "A mirror reflecting back the deepest recesses of your soul," he explained. "Your desires, your fears, your hopes... they all shape the artifact’s power."

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Enverna asked. "We still haven’t found a way to activate the object reliably."

Olin’s expression grew somber as he met their gaze.

"Right. Before the coming troubles arrive at Garriden, we must figure that part out. Here’s my personal theory," he then said, hands clasped together. "I believe that in order to gain control over the artifact, you must first gain control over your emotions," he replied gravely. "It won’t be an easy journey, but I do believe it to be a necessary one."

Lianna’s skepticism deepened.

"How exactly do you do that?" she challenged.

Olin’s smile remained unchanged, his demeanor calm and composed.

"By isolating yourself from the distractions of the outside world," he answered simply. "Away from all your friends. Away from everything that worries you. So you can focus on handling your inner self, patiently, and calmly."

"I’m not doing that," Lianna quickly responded. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Olin barked out a laugh.

"That was quicker than I thought."

"I mean, I have enemies here," Lianna quickly added. "Isolating myself is probably the last thing I should be doing."

"You are correct," Olin acknowledged, his tone grave. "Isolation in the midst of enemies would indeed be ill-advised."

Lianna nodded in agreement, her mind racing with thoughts of the dangers that lurked in the shadows of Garriden.

"Exactly," she replied, her voice tinged with unease.

"But," Olin continued, his gaze unwavering, "there are ways we can proceed without subjecting you to unnecessary risks."

Lianna’s brows furrowed in confusion, her curiosity piqued.

"What do you mean?" she inquired, her interest piqued.

Olin’s lips curved into a thoughtful smile.

"I propose a compromise," he suggested. "You spend one hour each day with me, away from the distractions of your companions. During that time, we will focus solely on training your mind and honing your mental discipline."

Lianna considered Olin’s proposal carefully, weighing the potential benefits against the risks.

"And you think this is enough?"

Olin nodded solemnly.

"I do," he affirmed. "It will not be easy, but it will be a start."

Lianna considered it.

The main issue was that she wasn’t too sure Olin himself wasn’t an enemy. Judging by the fact that The Lover had given her that quest to stop Garriden’s fall and the Monk apparently had the same duty, she wanted to believe he was an ally. But, pure isolation, even if it was brief, was a lot to ask for.

"Like I said," Olin told her, "you do not need to come to a decision right now. Take some time and think about it. You can get back to me later. I will likely be here. Take your time."

With that being said, Lianna decided to do that and they parted ways, with the crimson-haired girl wanting to think about it on her own.

They walked back to the inn. Lianna swore she caught a glimpse of Vayn, standing on top of a house nearby, but when she turned to look she didn’t see her.

"So... What do you think?" Enverna inquired, her eyes searching Lianna’s face. "It sounds quite out there, but I think there may be merit to his words."

"Really?"

Enverna nodded.

"Meditation is something the church is known for. I only dabbled in it a few times myself but I have heard stories. People whose lives were altered by the introspection this sort of thing has to offer. I would not say Olin is completely trustworthy, but I do believe there is potentially merit to what he proposes."

Lianna hesitated for a moment, her mind awash with uncertainty.

"I... I think we should try it then," she replied finally, her voice tinged with determination. "Controlling the artifact is too important to ignore."

Enverna nodded in agreement, a sense of solidarity passing between them.

"Whatever you decide, I will help with it."